New Jersey Boardwalk Fire Found to Be Accidental
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The deadly fire that consumed several blocks in Jersey Shore's Boardwalk last week was ruled an accident.
The fire began on Thursday at the Boardwalk in Seaside Park
and was spread rapidly by the 30 mph winds gusting through the area. It took about 400 firefighters to control the fire, and before it could be contained, the fire had destroyed many of the commercial businesses in the area.
It was discovered that the fire started because of wire damage in the area. The New York Times reported:
"The fire started in an electrical vault beneath the Boardwalk, behind a building that housed Kohr’s Frozen Custard and Biscayne Candies, an area that was inaccessible because of sand buildup, Joseph D. Coronato, the Ocean County prosecutor, said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Mr. Coronato said the wiring might have been compromised by the floodwaters brought by Hurricane Sandy, noting that it 'came in contact with water and sand.'”
Residents of the area originally suspected the fire to be an act of arson, but such claims were ruled out late last week.
Nobody was seriously injured in the fire.
Reach Executive Producer Miguel Arreola here.