Casino Pier (Seaside Heights) Discussion Thread

[VinTheAttendant]

And I thought I was having a crappy day, this is horrible! I just got back from class, so I haven't read any of the articles posted here yet. Does anyone know if anybody's been hurt? What a terrible day for Seaside Heights after everything they've done to recover from Sandy.

[Fooz]

Amusement parks have pretty serious insurance, don't they?

[sspaz1000]

Casino Pier just posted this status:

 

 

Fingers crossed that this is the case.

[robbalvey]

I haven't seen any other news stories. For those people in the area, is there any latest update?

[Double0Kevin]

Sad stuff to hear. Glad it sounds like no one was hurt but really a shame for the area. Have they reported on how they think it started or is it still way too early for that?

[michaellynn4]

The most recent post from Casino Pier's Facebook page:

 

For now, the worst seems to be over for our properties as the fire appears to be contained to the north, however the same isn't true to the south. Everything from Stockon to Lincoln Ave has reportedly been destroyed.

 

Thank you all for your concern. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our colleagues and neighbors to the south. Seaside Heights and Seaside Park has been through so much since Superstorm Sandy. Please continue to pray for everyone touched by this tragedy. Thank God for, and much prayers and thoughts go out to, all the first responders and fire fighters who have been working this blaze since early afternoon. We are blessed to have such a strong community. Godspeed to those affected that they may be able to move past this recent tragedy and get back up on their feet once again.

 

News 12 New Jersey reporting that at least 32 businesses have been affected at this point, with over 400 fire fighters reporting to fight the blaze.

 

Here's the link to the live stream of News 12's coverage of the fire: newjersey.news12.com/multimedia/seaside-park-fire-coverage-1.6063723

 

Also, from NJ.com, here's a list of affected businesses: www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/09/seaside_boardwalk_fire_list_of_businesses_impacted.html

[robbalvey]

Anything recent? Has the rain come in or helped out? Did the fire trench help stop the fire from spreading? Haven't seen anything updated on any of the sites in the past couple of hours.

[michaellynn4]

The only thing the various outlets are currently saying is that the fire is very slowly starting to get under control. Most at this point are recycling a lot of those points from my last post as well as getting reactions from residents. The rain did come in, but it passed quickly (in and out in around 20 minutes). Radars show more may be coming in later this night.

Edited September 13, 2013 by michaellynn4

[jk1w]

WINDS CHANGING DIRECTION — Winds in Seaside have shifted in the last hour from the southeast to the southwest, but remain strong, according to data from the state climatologist’s office. Unfortunately, a line of storms has largely broken up in the vicinity and the area may not get much rain until later in the evening.

 

The remnants of the storms could still kick up winds as they pass over the area in the coming hour. “That’s something emergency personnel need to be watchful for,” according to Gary Szatkowski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. After midnight, however, winds are expected to shift to a more northwesterly flow – the opposite direction of what fanned the flames earlier – which could help firefighting efforts.

 

“If this fire for some reason continues through the night, that’s going to be something they have to contend with,” Szatkowski said. “But as they push the fire back, it could help steer it toward areas that are already burned.”

 

source

[robbalvey]

Updates on the fire:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2419562/A-New-Jersey-beach-town-reeling-Sandy-devastated-alarm-blaze-tears-iconic-boardwalk.html

 

Almost ALL of 'Jersey Shore' boardwalk destroyed as fire rips through beloved attraction that survived Hurricane Sandy

 

- 80 percent of the Seaside Park, New Jersey boardwalk has burned and all 32 of its businesses are gone

- Residents have been forced out by thick, black smoke

- Seaside Heights, New Jersey of MTV's Jersey Shore fame sits right beside the burning boardwalk

- 'I feel like I want to throw up': An emotional Governor Christie held a news conference at the scene and told residents to stay away

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2419562/A-New-Jersey-beach-town-reeling-Sandy-devastated-alarm-blaze-tears-iconic-boardwalk.html#ixzz2ejaL8k5d

[michaellynn4]

News 12 TV newscasters just reported that new estimates indicate that the fire is now 65% contained. The first fire trench ended up not holding, so they needed to dig a second trench that appears to be working so far.

[Chroniq]

^^Situation looks really bleak... From the photos I've been analyzing 65-70 percent of the actual "boardwalk" seems like a legit amount at this point. It's a terrible event for a tourist community.Just wanted to say that the dailymail does like to exaggerate everything. So a bit of a grain of salt with that article...

 

 

-chris "and the rain cell ended up breaking before it could really help seaside heights" con

 

 

Edit : Proof there is no god: The Jersey Shore house remains.

[larrygator]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9245840

 

Here's an article from about 30 minutes ago. This article says the swath of boardwalk that was removed has not been jumped by the fire, I bolded that area.

 

SEASIDE PARK, N.J. - September 12, 2013 (WPVI) -- Fire officials say a raging fire that engulfed dozens of businesses along a New Jersey boardwalk Thursday is now under control.

 

The massive fire spitting fist-sized embers engulfed dozens of businesses along an iconic Jersey shore boardwalk Thursday, as workers racing to contain the blaze's advance ripped up stretches of walkway only recently replaced in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

 

That last-ditch effort to save the heart of the town's tourism business - and its very economic survival - appeared to have worked. Two hours after public works crews ripped out a 25-foot swath of boardwalk that had been hurriedly rebuilt for a visit to Seaside Heights by Prince Harry in May, the flames had not advanced past the break.

Heavy equipment filled the breach with tall walls of sand to form makeshift dunes holding back not waves but fire.

 

"So far, so good," said Robert Matthies, the mayor of neighboring Seaside Park, where the blaze began around 2:30 p.m.

 

The blaze remained out of control as of 8:30 p.m. but firefighters reported some progress in containing it.

 

It was finally contained and declared under control by 9:30 p.m., but officials said the fire continued to burn in some areas.

 

The 6-alarm blaze began in a frozen custard stand on the Seaside Park portion of the boardwalk and fanned by 15-20 mph winds from an approaching storm system, quickly spread north into Seaside Heights, the boardwalk town where the MTV series "Jersey Shore" was filmed - and where the October storm famously plunged a roller coast into the ocean.

 

No serious injuries were reported, but the blaze destroyed all 32 businesses on the Seaside Park portion of the boardwalk, borough Councilwoman Nancy Koury told The Associated Press. An undetermined number of additional boardwalk businesses in Seaside Heights also were burned.

 

The fire burned eight blocks: four on either side of the two towns' border, Matthies said.

 

"We're going to be here for several days," one firefighter said as he rushed toward the flames. A line of powerful thunderstorms that battered part of New Jersey swung north of Seaside Park, offering no help to some 400 firefighters battling the flames.

 

The livelihoods of the two popular Jersey shore resort communities depend on summer tourism and they had just spent millions of dollars rebuilding their boardwalks, arcade games, pizza stands and bar and grills to be ready for the summer season.

 

"It's devastating; I've been crying all afternoon," said Shirley Kreszl, who has rented a summer home in Seaside Park for decades. "Haven't we been hit enough? We try to rebuild and just when we think we saved a little bit of our town, this happens. It's just not fair."

 

Gov. Chris Christie, who raced to the fire scene, was typically blunt describing his thoughts as he approached the blaze.

 

"I feel like I want to throw up," he said.

 

Koury said the fire caused several million dollars' worth of damage. At one point, she said, flames jumped across Ocean Avenue, the oceanfront street, and ignited two or three small houses but firefighters quickly doused them. A motel near the boardwalk also was engulfed in flames.

 

For hours, two boardwalk businesses, an arcade and the popular Saw Mill Cafe, escaped the flames. But shortly before 7 p.m. the arcade was engulfed in a huge orange fireball that rolled into the darkening sky, and flames licked against the side of the Saw Mill; it could not immediately be determined how badly damaged the cafe was.

 

"I can't believe this is happening," Koury said as she watched the flames devour boardwalk structures. "Our small business people went through so much in the storm to get ready for summer and stay open all summer, and now it's all gone. I just can't believe it."

 

Officials said the fire got underneath the boardwalk, making it even more difficult to extinguish.

 

"It's underneath the boards, and its coming up through the cracks," Koury said. "It's making it harder to get water on it."

 

Matthies said the businesses were primarily wood with tar roofs and shingles, which accelerated the fire.

 

In Seaside Heights, real estate agent Michael Loundy, who works with the borough on tourism related projects, was pained as he watched firefighters make a stand against the flames on DuPont Avenue, several blocks from the Seaside Park border.

 

"It's raging," he said "It is absolutely raging. The wind is blowing something fierce, making it very difficult for firefighters to fight."

Edited September 13, 2013 by larrygator

[threeyoda]

From what I've heard, the fire has burned everything in the four blocks from Stockton Avenue (the southern end of the boardwalk) to Lincoln Avenue, and the cut that stopped its advance north is at Franklin Avenue. As of 10pm, the fire is 65% contained. Water is being pumped from Barnegat Bay to help the firefighters. All from News 12 NJ.

 

Link to map of Funtown Pier and surrounding area:

 

https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&q=Funtown+Pier+Amusements&fb=1&gl=us&hq=funtown+pier&hnear=0x89c19978f0fa59a3:0xb8bd200a59048ca7,Seaside+Park,+NJ&cid=0,0,6896949122243143303&ei=k38yUve3CYHD4AO_noDQAQ&ved=0CKsBEPwSMAw

[SuperSous]

Thats so terrible

[SharkTums]

As the sun comes up we've seen some crazy pictures. Don't have time to post now (have to get KT to school) but here's one that really shows the extent of the damage.

[kailisun98]

Oh my god! That drop tower is still standing.

[sspaz1000]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/live

 

Chopper 6 is currently over the scene surveying the damage. Another press conference again with Gov. Christie should be coming up on that stream too.

 

ETA: Adding some screen shots from the chopper.

 

 

 

[arby]

^^From what I've heard, most structural fires only burn around 900 - 1000 degrees F. Steel (which is primarily an alloy of processed iron and carbon) generally melts around 2500 degrees F. With that being said, it does start loosing its structural integrity around 1000 degrees F. (My dad is a retired steel worker.) I would guess that it will be torn down during the clean up and rebuilding process.

 

Yes, I have been nicknamed Cliff Claven before. Once I've met the Title Fairy's requirements, perhaps I should request 'TPR's resident Cliff Claven' as my title. I apologize in advance for sharing my useless tidbits of knowledge.

[Ultimate]

This is really bad, especially after Hurricane Sandy. Have both Casino Pier and Funtown Pier been destroyed now?

[sspaz1000]

Casino Pier was spared by them tearing up some of the new boardwalk and digging a trench to save the Seaside Heights area of the boardwalk. Funtown Pier is destroyed in Seaside Park.

[_IntaMAN_]

Oh my god! That drop tower is still standing.

 

This is my reaction too. That thing is ready to tip over at any moment.

 

Really sad to see this happen, kind of wanted to cry when I saw this since like others before me have said, no park, buisness, etc., deserves any of this. Prayers to al involved.

[robbalvey]

So I'm confused about something - is this area Seaside Heights or Seaside Park? Because I've seen both mentioned on news reports and in comments? Or is it that both locations are right next to each other connected by this boardwalk?

[PKI Jizzman]

Oh my god! That drop tower is still standing.

 

This is my reaction too. That thing is ready to tip over at any moment.

 

Really sad to see this happen, kind of wanted to cry when I saw this since like others before me have said, no park, buisness, etc., deserves any of this. Prayers to al involved.

 

My thoughts as well. I'm so sad to see their progress burned away. It's an amusement park, going to brighten the day of many people! It's so terrible that this happened.

[The Great Zo]

So I'm confused about something - is this area Seaside Heights or Seaside Park? Because I've seen both mentioned on news reports and in comments? Or is it that both locations are right next to each other connected by this boardwalk?

 

Here's Seaside Heights, and Seaside Park. They're adjacent boroughs, with Porter Street as the dividing line. Funtown Pier straddles the two municipalities, and Casino Pier is further north, totally in Seaside Heights.