Ocean City — Fire destroyed a multi-million dollar mansion on Sunday afternoon, May 20.

The Ocean City Fire Department received a call at 3:11 p.m. for a reported structure fire at Morningside and Beach roads. The first arriving unit discovered a single-family beach block home with heavy fire raging on the second floor.

Initial lines were established to protect the neighboring buildings, while the master streams and hand lines could be set up to attack the fire.

A second alarm was struck immediately after the Ocean City Fire Department arrived. Companies from Somers Point and Marmora responded for mutual aid to Ocean City Fire Department stations while Ocean City firefighters battled the blaze.

Ocean City Fire Department Capt. John Murphy said the fire was declared under control about 45 minutes later at 3:55 p.m. Crews remained at the scene until 11:30 p.m. extinguishing flare ups and hot spots in the badly damaged home throughout the evening.

Murphy said Engine One, Engine Two, Truck One and Engine Three, along with a deputy and both ambulances responded to the scene.

One Ocean City firefighter was transported to Shore Medical Center for heart-related issues. He was treated and released.

“He had over-exertion and was sent over for monitoring. He was actually released 45 minutes later and returned to the fire (and was) working, but he was fine,” Murphy said.

According to Murphy, the owners of the property are from out of state. He said the house went through rehabilitation in the last few years.

“There had been workers there and it was being worked on throughout the winter,” Murphy said. “It’s a summer home and there was a property manager that takes care of the place for the owners.”

Murphy said the property manager had contact with the owners and fire investigators during the incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Ocean City Fire Department, Ocean City Police Department and Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.

Murphy said investigators were at the scene on Monday afternoon and night, trying to determine the fire’s origin.

“It’ll be under investigation for a while,” Murphy said.