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| Boardwalk Fire Erases Months of Rebuilding at Jersey Shore | Boardwalk Fire Erases Months of Rebuilding at Jersey Shore |
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| Nearly a year after Hurricane Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore, a boardwalk that was just rebuilt was ravaged by fire on Thursday, as a blaze that began at an iconic ice cream shop quickly engulfed businesses along a stretch of beach in two towns. | Nearly a year after Hurricane Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore, a boardwalk that was just rebuilt was ravaged by fire on Thursday, as a blaze that began at an iconic ice cream shop quickly engulfed businesses along a stretch of beach in two towns. |
| Flames and black plumes of smoke shot high above the Boardwalk in Seaside Park, where the fire began after 2 p.m. Within hours, strong gusts of wind swept the fire north along the adjoining Boardwalk of Seaside Heights, where a roller coaster had sat mangled in the ocean for months and became a symbol of the storm’s damage. | Flames and black plumes of smoke shot high above the Boardwalk in Seaside Park, where the fire began after 2 p.m. Within hours, strong gusts of wind swept the fire north along the adjoining Boardwalk of Seaside Heights, where a roller coaster had sat mangled in the ocean for months and became a symbol of the storm’s damage. |
| Funtown Pier, nearly destroyed by the hurricane, collapsed in flames. And nearby, the fire appeared to have ruined one of the Boardwalk’s two carousels. In all, about 20 businesses over a six-block stretch were almost completely destroyed, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said at a news conference. Local officials suggested that number was too low. | |
| Standing in front of emergency vehicles in Seaside Heights, he called the blaze “unthinkable.” When he heard the news, the governor said, “I said to my staff, ‘I feel like I want to throw up.’ ” | Standing in front of emergency vehicles in Seaside Heights, he called the blaze “unthinkable.” When he heard the news, the governor said, “I said to my staff, ‘I feel like I want to throw up.’ ” |
| “I can only imagine,” he added, “how the residents and business owners in this town are feeling.” | “I can only imagine,” he added, “how the residents and business owners in this town are feeling.” |
| Johnny Nysether, 24, a local resident whose first job was in a candy store on the Boardwalk, said that the business had “gone up in smoke.” | Johnny Nysether, 24, a local resident whose first job was in a candy store on the Boardwalk, said that the business had “gone up in smoke.” |
| “Watching it burn is a lot like watching it drown,” he said, comparing the fire to Hurricane Sandy. “I have a lot of friends and family that just lost their jobs.” | “Watching it burn is a lot like watching it drown,” he said, comparing the fire to Hurricane Sandy. “I have a lot of friends and family that just lost their jobs.” |
| Rory Delaney, who co-owned a commercial building on the Boardwalk, said that her building was “gone, it’s rubble.” That building had reopened in mid-July after being damaged during Hurricane Sandy. “We just finished work on the basement last week,” she said. | Rory Delaney, who co-owned a commercial building on the Boardwalk, said that her building was “gone, it’s rubble.” That building had reopened in mid-July after being damaged during Hurricane Sandy. “We just finished work on the basement last week,” she said. |
| The fire was a devastating setback to an area that could little afford one as it struggled to get back on its feet nearly a year after Hurricane Sandy. The towns, along a sliver of barrier island, suffered the worst of the storm’s damage. | The fire was a devastating setback to an area that could little afford one as it struggled to get back on its feet nearly a year after Hurricane Sandy. The towns, along a sliver of barrier island, suffered the worst of the storm’s damage. |
| Mr. Christie toured Seaside Heights the morning after it hit on Oct. 29, and seeing its Log Flume roller coaster and ramshackle sausage and pepper stands washed away, declared “the Jersey Shore of my youth” gone. | Mr. Christie toured Seaside Heights the morning after it hit on Oct. 29, and seeing its Log Flume roller coaster and ramshackle sausage and pepper stands washed away, declared “the Jersey Shore of my youth” gone. |
| He returned in May to tour the amusements along the pier with Prince Harry of Britain, who hailed “the fantastic American spirit” of recovery there. | He returned in May to tour the amusements along the pier with Prince Harry of Britain, who hailed “the fantastic American spirit” of recovery there. |
| But with many residents still out of their homes, and many businesses still boarded up, the summer had been far from normal. | But with many residents still out of their homes, and many businesses still boarded up, the summer had been far from normal. |
| The fire burned for about five hours, and was finally contained shortly before 8 p.m. It drew about 400 firefighters from more than 30 towns in Ocean County, who removed strips of newly built boardwalk and pumped water from Barnegat Bay. By evening, they had dug a 50-foot trench in the sand, hoping to stop the fire from moving farther north. | The fire burned for about five hours, and was finally contained shortly before 8 p.m. It drew about 400 firefighters from more than 30 towns in Ocean County, who removed strips of newly built boardwalk and pumped water from Barnegat Bay. By evening, they had dug a 50-foot trench in the sand, hoping to stop the fire from moving farther north. |
| But, the governor said, south of there “the damage is almost complete on the Boardwalk.” | But, the governor said, south of there “the damage is almost complete on the Boardwalk.” |
| The fire apparently began at the Seaside Park location of Kohr’s Frozen Custard, where the candy colored signs proudly boasted of serving the Shore for nearly a century. | The fire apparently began at the Seaside Park location of Kohr’s Frozen Custard, where the candy colored signs proudly boasted of serving the Shore for nearly a century. |
| The governor and other officials repeatedly declined to speculate on what had caused the fire. But it was fueled by high winds, what Mayor Robert Matthies of Seaside Park called “a combination of the worst elements at one time.” | The governor and other officials repeatedly declined to speculate on what had caused the fire. But it was fueled by high winds, what Mayor Robert Matthies of Seaside Park called “a combination of the worst elements at one time.” |
| Its flames quickly spread to a condominium development in Seaside Heights and threatened homes and businesses several blocks inland. | Its flames quickly spread to a condominium development in Seaside Heights and threatened homes and businesses several blocks inland. |
| “This is another tremendous wrench in the recovery,” Mr. Matthies told reporters. | “This is another tremendous wrench in the recovery,” Mr. Matthies told reporters. |
| Foodrunners at the Sawmill Cafe saw the fire begin at the Kohr’s next door and one grabbed a fire extinguisher to put it out. “But it just moved too fast,” said Michael Popek, a manager at the cafe. | Foodrunners at the Sawmill Cafe saw the fire begin at the Kohr’s next door and one grabbed a fire extinguisher to put it out. “But it just moved too fast,” said Michael Popek, a manager at the cafe. |
| The Sawmill, he said, reopened in spring. “It breaks your heart. Everything along the Boardwalk was closed. We were just happy to be open this summer and have some business. We were struggling all summer.” | The Sawmill, he said, reopened in spring. “It breaks your heart. Everything along the Boardwalk was closed. We were just happy to be open this summer and have some business. We were struggling all summer.” |
| The police had closed a significant portion of Route 35, the major artery north from Seaside Park through Seaside Heights and other towns of the popular summer playground. They had also closed one of the bridges connecting it to the mainland. | The police had closed a significant portion of Route 35, the major artery north from Seaside Park through Seaside Heights and other towns of the popular summer playground. They had also closed one of the bridges connecting it to the mainland. |
| Firefighters were being treated for smoke inhalation, but officials said early on that it appeared there were no serious injuries. | Firefighters were being treated for smoke inhalation, but officials said early on that it appeared there were no serious injuries. |
| With the state’s schools reopening by this week, the town’s population had shrunk back to the relatively small number of year-round residents and shoulder-season tourists enjoying a last sultry day of summer. | With the state’s schools reopening by this week, the town’s population had shrunk back to the relatively small number of year-round residents and shoulder-season tourists enjoying a last sultry day of summer. |
| Many of those left stood behind yellow police tape, watching as firefighters battled the fire, standing in cherry-pickers and pouring water onto rooftops as flames shot up from buildings. | Many of those left stood behind yellow police tape, watching as firefighters battled the fire, standing in cherry-pickers and pouring water onto rooftops as flames shot up from buildings. |
| One business owner could be seen dousing his roof with water in an attempt to prevent the fire catching hold. | One business owner could be seen dousing his roof with water in an attempt to prevent the fire catching hold. |
| With its brightly lighted arcades and stalls selling a sugar high, the Boardwalk has been the center of local life, and tourism, for generations. On Thursday evening, residents gathered to mourn it again. | With its brightly lighted arcades and stalls selling a sugar high, the Boardwalk has been the center of local life, and tourism, for generations. On Thursday evening, residents gathered to mourn it again. |
| Tessah Melamed recalled working as a teenager in an amusement arcade. “I’d work in the morning then go home and shower and then come back to the Boardwalk and hang out until evening.” | Tessah Melamed recalled working as a teenager in an amusement arcade. “I’d work in the morning then go home and shower and then come back to the Boardwalk and hang out until evening.” |
| Keith Brown said a friend’s clothing and gift store had just reopened in mid-July; now it is gone. “The fire will have a ripple effect beyond the immediate area,” he said. “Morale was just coming back, and now it’s gone.” | Keith Brown said a friend’s clothing and gift store had just reopened in mid-July; now it is gone. “The fire will have a ripple effect beyond the immediate area,” he said. “Morale was just coming back, and now it’s gone.” |
Karen DeMasters, Patrick McGeehan and Ravi Somaiya contributed reporting. | Karen DeMasters, Patrick McGeehan and Ravi Somaiya contributed reporting. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: September 12, 2013 | Correction: September 12, 2013 |
Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of a spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie. He is Michael Drewniak, not Dreniak. | Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of a spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie. He is Michael Drewniak, not Dreniak. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: September 12, 2013 | Correction: September 12, 2013 |
An earlier version of this article misstated the month in which Gov. Chris Christie visited the Boardwalk in Seaside Heights with Prince Harry of Britain. It was in May, not July. | An earlier version of this article misstated the month in which Gov. Chris Christie visited the Boardwalk in Seaside Heights with Prince Harry of Britain. It was in May, not July. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: September 20, 2013 | |
An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to a carousel that was damaged by the fire. It had not been painstakingly restored recently. |