http://nypost.com/2013/09/13/fire-ravages-jersey-shore-boardwalk/
Jersey Shore boardwalk fire ‘suspicious’
A raging fire that gutted more than 30 Jersey Shore boardwalk businesses and took all night to put out looks “suspicious” — and is being investigated by prosecutors, sources said.
Investigators are eyeing arson because it was a midday fire with no bad weather and no obvious cause or injuries, sources told ABC News.
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Firefighters battle a six-alarm blaze fueled by strong winds in Sandy-ravaged Seaside Park.EPA
Officials have not yet been able to investigate the cause because the boardwalk was still smoldering on Friday afternoon but they are looking into all possibilities, sources said.
“Fire of this magnitude with no obvious cause goes to the lead investigative agency in the county, which in this case is the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office,” an official told ABC News.
The fire erupted at Kohr’s Custard Stand on Thursday, leaving six blocks of the iconic in boardwalk in Seaside Park blackened with rubble.
On Friday, business owners rushed to the still-smoldering site, where some shops were left without roofs and walls.
Business owners — some of whom had just recovered from Hurricane Sandy Damage — were shocked to see the war-zone-like scene.
“The whole front of [my] building got burned. We don’t know whether [we have to] tear the whole building down,” said John Sundermann, 57, who owns Big Hearted John’s shop.
Other business owners, who suffered less damages, said they felt lucky.
“Nobody had seen this coming. I don’t know how these other guys will rebuild… It’s their main source of income,” said Daniel Shauger, 41, who manages Funtown Arcade, which suffered only minor damages.
A small corner of the arcade shop had been burned, he said.
“It was spared. You wouldn’t think the building would be here in the morning,” Shauger said.
Heartbroken neighbors also starred in shock as firefighters sprayed the boardwalk with water.
“Just to have it gone. You just want to cry,” Shirley Kreszl, 62, told The Post with tears in her eyes.
“It just kind of knocks the wind out of you…It’s like a piece of you got damaged,” she said.
Many of the businesses wiped out by the fire had only just re-opened this past summer, after being closed for months in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, she said.
Gov. Chris Christie also spoke briefly near the boardwalk to encourage relief efforts.
“We will not let these fires destroy [Sandy recovery ] efforts,” he said.
The inferno began at about 2:30 pm on Thursday and damaged roughly 30 businesses, Christie said.
Strong winds up top 20 to 30 mph winds pushed the fire through six blocks of the boardwalk — racking up millions of dollars in damage, sources said.
The cause of the blaze is unknown and still being investigated, he said. The fire was worsened by the custard shop’s rubber roof and 30 mile-an-hour winds, he said.
Many of the businesses wiped out by the fire had only just re-opened this past summer, after being closed for months in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, a witness said.
Dozens of firefighters worked until dawn to control the blaze, pouring sand and water on smoldering rubble after the fire was contained on Thursday night at around 11 pm, Christie said.
On Thursday night, firefighters dug a trench and ripped out a 25-foot chunk of the iconic boardwalk to prevent the blaze from spreading. Other workers shoveled makeshift dunes to stop the fire. Roughly 100 firefighters remained at the scene overnight to ensure the fire would not reignite.
A total of roughly 400 firefighters, some of them volunteers, responded to the fire. None suffered serious injuries.
The boardwalk became a symbol of the storm’s destruction after it washed much of the area in to the ocean last year.
and...
http://www.nj.com/ocean/index.ssf/2013/09/investigators_begin_their_work_to_find_cause_and_tally_losses_as_christie_promises_seaside_boardwalk.html
Seaside boardwalk fire: Investigators begin work to find cause, as Christie vows to rebuild
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on September 13, 2013 at 1:01 PM, updated September 13, 2013 at 3:54 PM
SEASIDE PARK — It took thousands of gallons of water from street hydrants, swimming pools and even Barnegat Bay to put out the great Seaside boardwalk fire, and still portions of the ruined amusement area continued to burn today.
Even as fire investigators began their effort to determine a cause of the blaze, Gov. Chris Christie promised he would not allow the fire to finish what Hurricane Sandy had started nearly a year ago.
"We lost a place that has provided generations of memories, but we will rebuild," said Christie. "There's going to be focus on what was lost. We have an obligation to be aggressive and rebuild. We’re going to get back on our feet and do what we need to do."
The governor ordered the state Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Banking and Insurance, and the Economic Development Authority to put representatives on the scene to help the recovery efforts of businesses and the local municipalities.
Meanwhile, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office was tasked with finding out what sparked the fire on the Boardwalk, which was labeled a crime scene. Investigators put out a call for any photos or videos taken yesterday on the Boardwalk before the blaze erupted. The New Jersey State Police, the state Fire Marshall and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were also expected to assist in the investigation.
Christie cautioned that despite labeling the area a crime scene, there was no reason yet to suspect arson, or that the fire was anything more than a tragic accident, noting that investigators have not been able to approach the area where the fire began and there was no theory as to a cause.
“We don’t know yet and it would irresponsible for us to speculate,” he said.
As he spoke to reporters, firefighters nearby continued to work the collapsed buildings on the Boardwalk, where hot spots were still burning. As of this morning, the fire was 95 percent contained, but not fully extinguished.
“Some smoldering may go on for days,” said the governor. “For the next several days we will need to be vigilant. “
Three fire trucks continued to dump water onto the charred remains of Three Brothers Pizza and neighboring businesses. From the exterior, the Sawmill appeared intact, and the fire appears to have stopped at Funtown Arcade.
The fire was reported about 2 p.m. Thursday, and was fed by 30 mile-per-hour winds, authorities said. It rapidly spread out of control within 15 minutes—and continued to rage as more and more firefighters battled it into the night. Evacuations were made, and no deaths were reported, though numerous firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation, and one was taken to the hospital.
At least 400 firefighters from dozens of municipalities responded to battle the blaze.
Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers said things could have been a lot worse if a construction crew had not been on the boardwalk performing another job Thursday afternoon. Their equipment was used to quickly dig the 25-foot trench that stopped the blaze at Lincoln Avenue, he said.
"We're a lot better with what happened last night than what could have happened last night," Akers said.
Christie called the fire break at Lincoln Avenue the key to keeping the fire from taking more than it did.
“It was the decisive moment. I believe that was the decisive moment,” he said. “That’s where we decided to put all our resources and make our stand. And let me tell you, they took a beating there,” the governor said. “But they held it off. The folks here deserve great credit. If we hadn’t, we might have lost it all.”
The economic costs were still unknown. Roughly 50 businesses were damaged or destroyed in the fire, said Bob Martucci, the Seaside Park Borough Administrator—at least.30 of them in Seaside Park, within the four-block stretch of the boardwalk consumed by flames. Dozens of landmark businesses, including Berkeley Sweet Shop, Maruca’s Tomato Pies, and the Beachcomber Bar, were taken.
Daniel Shauger, who worked at the Funtown Arcade, said the building was still standing, but sustained heavy damage. The arcade had just reopened on June 1 after being struck by Sandy.
“We worked hard all winter to get this place reopened and now this,” he shook his head. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Standing before the charred backdrop of the Seaside Heights Boardwalk, Ocean County Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel offered a simple, but grim, portrait of the scene.
"It looks like a bomb went off," he said.
While no lives were lost, Seaside Park Councilwoman Arline Ottoson said the town lost its heart.
“Our boardwalk is everything to us. It's the backbone of this whole entire town,” she said. “It's honky-tonk, but we need honky-tonk to forget our worries.”
She paused.
"We'll be back,” she said. “That's a famous saying in Seaside."
Even as fire investigators began their effort to determine a cause of the blaze, Gov. Chris Christie promised he would not allow the fire to finish what Hurricane Sandy had started nearly a year ago.
"We lost a place that has provided generations of memories, but we will rebuild," said Christie. "There's going to be focus on what was lost. We have an obligation to be aggressive and rebuild. We’re going to get back on our feet and do what we need to do."
The governor ordered the state Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Banking and Insurance, and the Economic Development Authority to put representatives on the scene to help the recovery efforts of businesses and the local municipalities.
Meanwhile, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office was tasked with finding out what sparked the fire on the Boardwalk, which was labeled a crime scene. Investigators put out a call for any photos or videos taken yesterday on the Boardwalk before the blaze erupted. The New Jersey State Police, the state Fire Marshall and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were also expected to assist in the investigation.
Christie cautioned that despite labeling the area a crime scene, there was no reason yet to suspect arson, or that the fire was anything more than a tragic accident, noting that investigators have not been able to approach the area where the fire began and there was no theory as to a cause.
“We don’t know yet and it would irresponsible for us to speculate,” he said.
As he spoke to reporters, firefighters nearby continued to work the collapsed buildings on the Boardwalk, where hot spots were still burning. As of this morning, the fire was 95 percent contained, but not fully extinguished.
“Some smoldering may go on for days,” said the governor. “For the next several days we will need to be vigilant. “
Three fire trucks continued to dump water onto the charred remains of Three Brothers Pizza and neighboring businesses. From the exterior, the Sawmill appeared intact, and the fire appears to have stopped at Funtown Arcade.
The fire was reported about 2 p.m. Thursday, and was fed by 30 mile-per-hour winds, authorities said. It rapidly spread out of control within 15 minutes—and continued to rage as more and more firefighters battled it into the night. Evacuations were made, and no deaths were reported, though numerous firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation, and one was taken to the hospital.
At least 400 firefighters from dozens of municipalities responded to battle the blaze.
Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers said things could have been a lot worse if a construction crew had not been on the boardwalk performing another job Thursday afternoon. Their equipment was used to quickly dig the 25-foot trench that stopped the blaze at Lincoln Avenue, he said.
"We're a lot better with what happened last night than what could have happened last night," Akers said.
Christie called the fire break at Lincoln Avenue the key to keeping the fire from taking more than it did.
“It was the decisive moment. I believe that was the decisive moment,” he said. “That’s where we decided to put all our resources and make our stand. And let me tell you, they took a beating there,” the governor said. “But they held it off. The folks here deserve great credit. If we hadn’t, we might have lost it all.”
The economic costs were still unknown. Roughly 50 businesses were damaged or destroyed in the fire, said Bob Martucci, the Seaside Park Borough Administrator—at least.30 of them in Seaside Park, within the four-block stretch of the boardwalk consumed by flames. Dozens of landmark businesses, including Berkeley Sweet Shop, Maruca’s Tomato Pies, and the Beachcomber Bar, were taken.
Daniel Shauger, who worked at the Funtown Arcade, said the building was still standing, but sustained heavy damage. The arcade had just reopened on June 1 after being struck by Sandy.
“We worked hard all winter to get this place reopened and now this,” he shook his head. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Standing before the charred backdrop of the Seaside Heights Boardwalk, Ocean County Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel offered a simple, but grim, portrait of the scene.
"It looks like a bomb went off," he said.
While no lives were lost, Seaside Park Councilwoman Arline Ottoson said the town lost its heart.
“Our boardwalk is everything to us. It's the backbone of this whole entire town,” she said. “It's honky-tonk, but we need honky-tonk to forget our worries.”
She paused.
"We'll be back,” she said. “That's a famous saying in Seaside."
This is truly tragic - Keep the brave folks along the Jersey shore in your prayers....
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/six-alarm-fire-rages-seaside-park-n-boardwalk-article-1.1454116
A raging fire propelled by powerful winds destroyed a massive swath of the famed Seaside Park boardwalk Thursday, nearly a year after it was leveled by Hurricane Sandy.
JULIO CORTEZ/AP
More than 400 firefighters worked for hours to control the massive blaze, which started at a Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard stand around 2:15 p.m. and went on to ravage more than 80% of the Seaside Park boardwalk.
The fast-moving flames ravaged more than 80% of the popular boardwalk — gutting all 32 businesses and spewing fist-sized embers into the air, authorities said. A number of firefighters sustained minor injuries.
“This is like a sucker punch,” Seaside Park Business Administrator Robert Martucci told the Daily News.
EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS
Structures along the Seaside Park boardwalk crumble and fall as they're devoured by the flames.
“An unbelievable effort was made so that this town can come back. But for this to happen now is just inconceivable.”
Fanned by winds topping 30 mph, the 10-alarm blaze quickly spread north to the boardwalk in neighboring Seaside Heights. It was hours before relief from the flames came.
JULIO CORTEZ/AP
Firefighters saw through a metal gate on a building Thursday night while battling the inferno. Several firefighters suffered minor injuries in the blaze.
“The fire appears to be under control,” town administrator John Camera said late in the evening. "There'll be people stationed there probably for another day or more and they expect that there may be controlled burning."
WABC
The Funtown Pier sign blazes during Thursday's 10-alarm fire, which ended up gutting 32 businesses.
The blaze was sparked inside a Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard stand about 2:15 p.m. Smoke could still be seen billowing out to the ocean under light rain after midnight.
More than 400 firefighters were on the scene and drew water from Barnegat Bay to douse the flames. But the fire marched on, prompting firefighters to rip up part of the boardwalk and dig a 20-foot trench in a frantic bid to stop the blaze’s advance.
JULIO CORTEZ/AP
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (right) is hugged by Michael Cisneros, 14, at the scene of the massive fire.
“I feel like I want to throw up,” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said as he raced to the scene.
At a hastily convened news conference, Christie had a specific message: Stay away.
JULIO CORTEZ/AP
Shocked residents sit on the steps of a home near the Seaside Park boardwalk on Thursday night after a huge fire ripped through the neighborhood, less than a year after Hurricane Sandy struck.
“Do not come here,” Christie said. “We are still trying to bring more fire equipment in here. . . . We need to have easy access to this area of the boardwalk.”
Throngs of Jersey Shore residents stared in stunned silence as the fire devoured the boardwalk and people’s livelihoods.
EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS
On Thursday night, New Jersey firefighters continue to battle the huge fire that engulfed several blocks of boardwalks and businesses in Seaside Park.
“I’ve been coming here for my whole life,” said Casey Ciraolo, 31, of nearby Toms River. “It’s like getting kicked when you’re down. It’s almost like a flashback, but instead of a storm, it’s a fire.”
ALYN ACKERMANN
Beachgoers captivated by the billowing black smoke from the boardwalk at Seaside Park along the New Jersey Shore.
The wind-whipped blaze spread with frightening speed.
“We’re in trouble here. We’ve got major problems,” Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd told The Star-Ledger minutes after the fire broke out.
CBS PHILADELPHIA
The massive fire along the Jersey Shore filled the air with thick clouds of black smoke.
Thick clouds of black smoke billowed high above the seashore town as the fire engulfed more and more sections of boardwalk.
Seaside Park Councilman David Nicolo, who finally was able to move back into his storm-damaged home this week, was set to get married Friday — with a reception at the Sawmill Cafe. As Nicolo watched the blaze, he wondered whether the bar and eatery would still be standing.
VINCENT STORINO
The fire destroyed at least 80% of Seaside Park's boardwalk, the police chief said.
The fire destroyed new boardwalk planks not far from the site that gave rise to one of the most iconic images of Hurricane Sandy: The Jet Star roller coaster, ripped off its pier, rising out of the Atlantic Ocean.
The storm-battered communities spent millions rebuilding boardwalks that serve as the lifeblood of the central Jersey Shore.
CBS PHILADELPHIA
The fire destroys buildings on the Funtown Amusement Pier.
“This is another tremendous wrench in the recovery,” Seaside Park Mayor Robert Matthies said.
With News Wire Services
KRISTI FUNDERBURK/ASBURY PARK PRESS VIA AP
Firefighters struggle to contain the fire that started in a custard shop as it rages on the boardwalk.
JERSEY SHORE HURRICANE NEWS
Firefighters from throughout Atlantic and Monmouth counties have been called to the scene.
CBS PHILADELPHIA
The harsh winds keep pushing the flames and smoke north along the boardwalk.
KEVIN P. COUGHLIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS; ABC/AP
At top is a September 6, 2013 aerial photo of the Funtown Pier, still in the process of being rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy, and below is the same area as seen on Thursday afternoon.
KEVIN P. COUGHLIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
The Seaside Heights roller coaster was ripped off the splintered boardwalk and flung into the ocean by Hurricane Sandy last fall.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/six-alarm-fire-rages-seaside-park-n-boardwalk-article-1.1454116#ixzz2emHFLaNe
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Large_fire_Seaside_Heights_boardwalk_Kohrs_Ice_Cream_stand.html
(Twitter) A raging fire erupted this afternoon on the Funtown Pier in Seaside Park, New Jersey. The cause of the fire is unclear and there have not been any reported injuries. Authorities have said that the fire originated in the iconic Kohr's Frozen Custard Stand at 1807 Boardwalk and Stockton Avenue, according to MyFoxPhilly. The Jersey Shore boardwalk blaze can be seen from miles away as massive plumes of smoke rise over the area.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/gallery?section=news/local&id=9245873&photo=1
1 of 41: The Action Cam on the scene of a massive fire on the Seaside Park boardwalk on Thursday, September 12th.
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