Things were pretty horrible last night so I missed seeing this truly sad news.
As someone who spent many summers here, these images break my heart.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Fire-Along-Boardwalk-in-Seaside-Park--223511611.html
Fire Destroys at Least 80 percent of Boardwalk in Sandy-Ravaged Jersey Shore Town
Crews have the fire under control, although hot spots are still a concern.
Fire crews continue to battle hot spots Friday still smoldering a day after a massive fire ripped through a Jersey Shore town, destroying 80 percent of a boardwalk that was ravaged by Superstorm Sandy just a year ago.
Flames spread rapidly along the boardwalk in Seaside Park and neighboring Seaside Heights yesterday, creating dark smoke that could be spotted from miles away.
The fire, which started around 2:30 p.m. near Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard shop on 1800 Boardwalk, has destroyed at least 80 percent of the boardwalk in Seaside Park, according to Police Chief Francis Larken. More than 50 businesses in both Seaside Park and Seaside Heights are destroyed.
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"The only building that's not consumed by fire is part of the arcade and the Saw Mill Café," Ocean County Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel said in a press conference early Friday.
Crews contained the fire seven hours after it started, according to Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd. But about 80 firefighters were still on scene as of 8 a.m. Friday, extinguishing hot spots. That effort was aided by a final soaking of heavy rain as a storm moved off the coast just before 6 a.m.
Gariel says firefighters will remain on the scene for the next 24 hours.
"This is obviously just an unthinkable situation..." New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said in a press conference Thursday as the fire raged behind him. He said that when he first heard the news he told he staff 'I feel like I want to throw up' after all the work this area did to rebuild.
Christie said 400 firefighters were called to the scene. Those crews cut a 20-foot wide trench by ripping out a portion of the boardwalk at Ocean Avenue and another at Lincoln Avenue, in the hopes of stopping the fire from spreading. Flames quickly moved over the Ocean Avenue trench, forcing firefighters to head towards Lincoln Ave
It was there that they were able to contain the blaze by filling that trench with giant sand piles -- makeshift dunes that helped halt the fire from moving any farther into Seaside Heights.
"That appears to have done the trick," Seaside Park Mayor Robert Matthies said.
Christine Hemingway, who was working inside Kohr Brothers Thursday afternoon, said it appeared as if the smoke was rising from underneath the boardwalk.
"Our manager came running through the stand and said 'get out,'" Hemingway said. "We go around the corner in front of Biscayne Candy and there was smoke coming up from the boardwalk. There was a little smoke and then all of a sudden, it got real thick and black."
A dispatcher for Seaside Fire Radio also received a report that the fire was coming from underneath the boardwalk.
Strong winds, whipping at speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour, were the biggest challenge for the firefighters called in to respond from neighboring NJ counties.
“It’s an all-call, which means anybody that has equipment [in Ocean County] are asked to respond," said Ocean County Prosecutor's Office's Al Della Fave, who is handling calls for the Sheriff's office while they are on scene. That means up to 33 municipalities can respond.
It’s all hands on deck and they’re doing the best they can, but the winds are really making it difficult," Della Fave said yesterday.
Embers blew for at least eight blocks, igniting a fire at the nearby Royal Sands Condominium complex at Sumner Avenue and Ocean Terrace that was quickly put out. Those embers also landed on area homes and businesses.
Nancy O’Brien, who runs EJ’s Dance Club about a mile and a half from the fire, told NBC10 that her eyes were burning and that the air was "acidy." Even at that distance the smoke was a real nuisance
The area of the boardwalk between Stockton and Farragut Avenues, in front of Funtown Pier, was not destroyed during Superstorm Sandy, but the pier itself was. An estimated 90% of the 33 rides on Funtown Pier were lost in the storm.
The pier, which was not open this summer, was fully engulfed in flames, destroying the small portion that was left standing after the storm.
“It’s just devastating to the area. It’s just heartbreaking to see. After what we just went to almost a year ago, and now this. I’m just in disbelief and shock over this. I can’t believe it, " Police Chief Larken said.
The area of Seaside Heights that was destroyed by Thursday's fire was newly rebuilt following Sandy.
“Mainly after everything they just went through. I feel so sorry for the people that had businesses and didn’t have insurance and put their own money back into it to make it work," said Patty Dibiase, who watched as the fire burned.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries.
New Jersey Natural Gas isolated gas service just to the boardwalk area in an effort to keep the fire from spreading to homes in the area.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had more than a dozen personnel responding to the scene to assist.
Non-emergency personnel are being told to stay away.
“We are asking people to stay away from the area so that firefighters can fight this fire," said Donna Flynn, public information officer for Ocean County Emergency Management.
The Mathis Bridge, which connects Toms River to the Seaside area was closed to non-emergency vehicles, as of 5:30 p.m. It remains closed this morning.
All roads leading into the area of Seaside Heights and Seaside Park are closed except to residents.
Seaside Park Mayor Bob Matthies estimates the damage from the fire will be in the millions.
“The resiliency that was demonstrated before will be called upon again to rebuild this section of the town and the commerce on the boardwalk," said Matthies.
Below is a before and after look at the landmark Funtown Pier.
Contact Lauren DiSanto at 610.668.5705, lauren.disanto@nbcuni.com or follow @LaurenNBC10 on Twitter.
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