FAQ: Here's the 411 on the demolition of Avalon at Edgewater

EDGEWATER Nearly two months after a maintenance worker's blow torch sparked a blaze that destroyed 240 units of a luxury apartment complex and left nearly 500 people homeless, residents will soon begin the process of sifting through what remains.

On Friday, workers at the Avalon Edgewater complex off River Road began ripping down the amenities building with cranes. The residential portion of the Russell building is scheduled to be demolished starting on Monday. The other building in the complex, River Mews, is still standing and was spared of the roaring flames.

You've got questions, we've got answers. So here's an FAQ:

What's the process here?

A spokesman for AvalonBay told NJ Advance Media that WCD Construction Management will oversee the demolition and salvaging. Subcontractor NorthStar, a big demolition firm, will handle the work. NorthStar's workers will be going grid-by-grid with heavy equipment.

"Any recovered items will be individually tagged, logged and photographed and placed in bins marked with the originating grid location, and the bins will be transferred to a locked walk-in metal container as recovered," the company said.

"The containers will be on site and secured. Video surveillance with recording capabilities will be installed to record the recovery operations. As the metal containers are filled, or as a grid is completed, residents will be notified with instructions on how to claim any recovered items."

OK, but residents are not allowed to comb through the site?

Correct. Local officials have deemed the Russell building unsound, so only authorized personnel can be on site for safety reasons. It's about liability.

How do the residents feel about it?

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FAQ: Here's the 411 on the demolition of Avalon at Edgewater