Fire destroys part of New Jersey boardwalk hit hard by Sandy
Rick Leventhal reports from Seaside Park, NJ
New Jersey's Governor Chris Christie said in a Friday news conference that the raging fire that destroyed dozens of businesses along a stretch of boardwalk in Seaside Park has been largely contained and vowed to rebuild the stretch that was still recovering from last year’s Superstorm Sandy.
"It was a long day and night," Christie said. He told reporters he learned about the fire during a weekly Sandy rebuilding meeting at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and "thought he was going to throw up."
"I don’t have the luxury of getting tired," Christie said.
Fire crews told Fox News Friday afternoon that the fire was completely extinguished.
The governor struck a familiar tone and noted how his state came together in a time of crisis. He said, once more, that the state will rebuild despite recent setbacks.
Christie had said that once the fire is completely extinguished, a multi-agency investigation will begin. He called the investigation relatively common.
There are some initial theories as to how the fire started. One is that when there's rubble, sometimes hot pockets form beneath the debris that can ignite when uncovered. The fire is believed to have started in a Kohr's custard shop.
Officials say 300 to 400 firefighters were there Thursday when the fire raged for eight hours, leveling all 32 businesses in Seaside Park and crossing the town line into Seaside Heights. The turning point came as public works crews in Seaside Heights ripped out 25 feet of the boardwalk -- which had just been rebuilt after Superstorm Sandy -- and filled the void with sand piles to block the flames' advance.
Seaside Park Fire Chief Brian Gabriel says that if the fire had not been stopped at Lincoln Avenue, there is no telling how much destruction the fire would have brought.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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