Anthony
Super Moderator
Authorities are investigating into what started the devastating fire that destroyed dozens of businesses along one of the most famous boardwalks on the Jersey Shore.
“We need to let the fire investigators do their job,†Gov. Chris Christie said at a news conference Friday morning.
According to several witnesses, the massive fire appears to have started at an ice cream shop along the Boardwalk.
“We honestly have no idea," Christie said. “It is not even 24 hours since the fire started. We spent all of our time and resources on fighting the fire.â€
Christie did confirm that four entire blocks had been destroyed.
“We lost a place that has provided generations of memories to our citizens,†he said.
The governor and other officials have declined to speculate on what had caused the fire. However it was fueled by high winds, what Mayor Robert Matthies of Seaside Park called “a combination of the worst elements at one time.â€
“This is another tremendous wrench in the recovery,†Mr. Matthies told reporters.
Firefighters were still pouring water onto patches of smoke rising up from the rubble on Friday, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd, said.
"These hot spots are going to be continuing to flare up," Boyd said. "Number one, people don't realize you've got a lot of restaurants that were involved. What's in restaurants? Cooking oil. So you've got a lot of flammable properties that are involved down in deep, and once that tar starts smoldering and catches fire, it's very hard to put out. So we have crews right now still dousing. It will probably burn at least the next day."
“We need to let the fire investigators do their job,†Gov. Chris Christie said at a news conference Friday morning.
According to several witnesses, the massive fire appears to have started at an ice cream shop along the Boardwalk.
“We honestly have no idea," Christie said. “It is not even 24 hours since the fire started. We spent all of our time and resources on fighting the fire.â€
Christie did confirm that four entire blocks had been destroyed.
“We lost a place that has provided generations of memories to our citizens,†he said.
The governor and other officials have declined to speculate on what had caused the fire. However it was fueled by high winds, what Mayor Robert Matthies of Seaside Park called “a combination of the worst elements at one time.â€
“This is another tremendous wrench in the recovery,†Mr. Matthies told reporters.
Firefighters were still pouring water onto patches of smoke rising up from the rubble on Friday, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd, said.
"These hot spots are going to be continuing to flare up," Boyd said. "Number one, people don't realize you've got a lot of restaurants that were involved. What's in restaurants? Cooking oil. So you've got a lot of flammable properties that are involved down in deep, and once that tar starts smoldering and catches fire, it's very hard to put out. So we have crews right now still dousing. It will probably burn at least the next day."
