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Fire Tears Through Ocean City Amusement Park
A four-alarm fire broke out on Ocean City’s historic beach boardwalk in New Jersey on Saturday morning, January 30, engulfing and seriously damaging Playland’s Castaway Cove amusement park. Credit: Gail Hansell Kussay via Storyful
NEW JERSEY - A 4-alarm fire raged on the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J. on Saturday morning.
The blaze at Playland's Castaway Cove in Ocean City, in southern New Jersey, began at 7:40 a.m. Saturday in the building that houses the park's arcade, offices, and two fast-food restaurants, officials said.
Upon arrival, firefighters initiated a full response as a fire quickly advanced through the structure. Altogether eight fire companies responded to the fire, which was placed under control around 11 a.m.
The building, which was left with "extensive damage," was empty at the time and no fire-related injuries were reported, spokesperson Doug Bergen said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Bergen said.
"A west wind fueled the fire but likely spared neighboring buildings," Bergen said in a news release. The boardwalk didn't appear damaged, but access to the surrounding area is being blocked for now, he said.
Leaders of Playland Castaway Cove vowed to rebuild and said it would be open "sooner rather than later."
"We have a secondary entrance that will now be our main entrance for the foreseeable future," the company said in a post on Facebook. "... For now, hug your loved ones, pray for the first responders and know that we will be back in the spring of 2021!"
Authorities are advising that the public use caution if in the area.
With the Associated Press.