Long Branch Pier Fire — 39 Years Ago
LB Pier Fire, ’87
Lost city summers …
Long Branch has a storied history as a beach resort, with its iconic pier playing a central role in that past. When the pier burned in June 1987, part of the city’s identity went up in smoke too. Going back nearly 200 years Long Branch had a pier on the Atlantic coast — five in total since 1828. All were ancient history — until now. The city is now in the process of building a new pier set to open in 2027.
At the height of its late-20th Century appeal when taken by fire, the last pier survived past all previous structures — for 75 years. It stood as an ugly relic for over a decade and was finally removed in May 1998. The city took the pier remains under an eminent domain decree in 2001; it later got the property on the west-side of Ocean Avenue the same way. In 2005, the $130 million Pier Village community opened — minus a pier.
The city has already started plans for a new pier to be built — a modern 500-foot-long pedestrian/fishing wharf. The $8+ million pier project will be located off Laird Street. It’s been 110+ years since a new one was opened there.
Long Branch Boardwalk & Pier History — HERE
I was working at the Atlanticville newspaper office on lower Broadway — just launching my journalism career at the city’s venerable news weekly — the day the pier fire started nearly 40 years ago. Sadly, it made for great copy. Have a look at these Long Branch Pier fire images and reflect some:
Early Stages — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Dark Park — Businesses lost in the Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Pre-Heat — Long Branch Pier, 1980s. “On the whole … piers were not a success at the Branch.” —Entertaining a Nation: The Career of Long Branch, 1940.
Pouring On — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. Pat Cicalese — who owed the whole works — took this photo. A Newark native, “Patsy” had family business interests on the city oceanfront going back to 1962. Pat was a sharp operator and determined fellow — alive and vigorous today. Who’s to say how the city’s waterfront might look today if an awful fate had not altered things 38 summer ago?
“Tearful Vigil” — Pier owner Pat Cicalese weeps as his empire of sun & fun has a meltdown. Red Bank Daily Register, June 1987.
Dark Matter — Long Branch Pier fire, Red Bank Daily Register, June 1987. The city spent nearly $100,000 fighting the fire.
Sad News — The Atlanticville News frontpage sums up the great pier fire, June 1987.
Getting Going — Fire and smoke spread down the Long Branch boardwalk, June 1987.
5 Hours Later — Long Branch pier remains after the massive fire, Atlanticville News, June 1987.
Up in Smoke — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. “A great fire destroyed the pier and the boardwalk — features that had seemed to me nearly as permanent as mountains or the ocean itself.” — Dr. Robert Pinsky, Newark Star-Ledger, Sept. 2004.
Down the Boards — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Hot Stuff — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. City firefighters gave it their all that day — to no avail.
Over All — Long Branch Pier fire aerial image, June 1987.
All Means — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. The US Coast Guard fought the blaze from the sea.
Gold Coast — Long Branch oceanfront aerial mage — during its renaissance, mid-1980s.
Beach Day — Long Branch pier and beach, 1979 (Dan Hennessy Photo).
Never Happened — New Long Branch Pier sketch proposal. Long Branch Daily Record, July 1910. The concept never went further. The design was by Cottrell Architects — who did the Asbury Park Casino in 1903.
Pier Prep — Long Branch beach and pier, 1912. The new pier — after a decade of delay — was under construction at the time. It looks skeletal here.
City Heights — Long Branch Pier aerial view, 1950s.
Paper of Record — Newspaper story about the beginnings of the last Long Branch Pier, New York Times, September 1910.
Blue Dolphin Pub on Ocean Avenue opposite the Long Branch Pier. Opened in 1976, it was go-go bar in later years before becoming Twin Peaks in 1992. Joining several other city nude dancing girl establishments — “Stars & Bars,” “Strutters” and “Encounters.” Going back to July 1952, the spot had been the Dolphin Inn owned by Otto George and Joseph DeFazio and later by Orlando and Joseph Melillo.
Fire Sale — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. “Watching its demise was heartbreaking,” —Asbury Park Press editorial, June 1987.
Fire Plume — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Flaming Pier — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. The fire burned uncontrolled for hours.
Well Done! — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987 (Frank Mainieri Photo). City firefighters engage at the McDonald’s on the boardwalk. It was the fast-food restaurant’s “faulty wiring” that brought down a Long Branch landmark.
Bitter Pill — Mayor Phil Huhn after the amusement pier fire, Atlanticville News, June 1987.
Leftovers — Mayor Phil Huhn surveys pier ruins the day after, Newark Star-Ledger, June 1987.
Up in Smoke — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. At the time of the fire pier businesses employed about 200 people.
Toasted — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. “People who live long — who live to drink from the cup of life to the very bottom — must expect to meet with some of the usual dregs.” —Benjamin Franklin.
Sad Scene — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. Powerful west winds reaching 30 mph fed the destructive fire.
Beached — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Hooked — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987 (Frank Mainieri Photo). US Coast Guard ships poured some 10,000 gallons per minute onto the smoldering pier to keep it from re-igniting.
Where There’s Smoke — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Dark Day — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987 (Frank Mainieri Photo). Looking east on Chelsea Avenue; Pistol Pete’s is on the left.
Hot Spot — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987 (Frank Mainieri Photo). The boardwalk McDonald’s collapses into the sea.
Adult Problems — Kid’s World on the Long Branch pier after the fire, June 1987. (Rich Bendock Photo).
No Kids! — Long Branch Pier fire remains, June 1987.
All Over — Kid’s World after the fire, June 1987. SoftPlay Inc. of Charlotte NC designed the Kid’s World super structure and play equipment.
In Ashes — City pier in ruins after June 1987 fire.
A Pitted Pier — Long Branch pier in ruins, June 1987.
Warm Leftovers — Long Branch pier in ruins from major fire, June 1987.
News Worthy — TV reporters at city pier fire conduct interviews outside Pistol Pete’s restaurant, June 1987.
The Day After — Governor Thomas Kean and Mayor Phil Huhn after touring the Long Branch pier fire, June 1987.
Dark Time — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Red Hot — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
No Fluke — Long Branch pier fire, June 1987.
Game Over — Long Branch pier fire, June 1987.
Aerial Assistance — Long Branch pier fire, June 1987.
In the Beginning — Long Branch pier fire, June 1987.
All Gone — Long Branch pier fire, June 1987.
Take Out — Big Al’s on the pier in ruins, June 1987.
Pouring it On — City firefighters during the early stage of the Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Into the Sea — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Fun All Fried — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987. Amongst the damage were these arcade pinball machines (Frank Gibson Photo).
Don’t Look — Long Branch Pier fire, June 1987.
Sad relic — Long Branch Pier remains, 1995.
Sad state — the once-popular Long Branch Pier in ruins, late 1990s.
The End — Rotting remains of Long Branch pier. The oceanfront site was condemned by the city in August 1997 and finally torn down in April 1998. In conjunction with the city’s $2.6 million beach replenishment project, the US Army Corps of Engineers did the demolition for just $19,000. In June 1998, a three-member condemnation committee ruled that the burned-out remains of the pier/amusement park were worth $550,000. Owner Patsy Cicalese had sought $4 million as just compensation.
Pier Problems — From the Long Branch Daily Record “Gay Nineties” Edition, August 1930.
CANT BELIEVE IT’S BEEN THAT LONG AGO. I WAS THERE THE DAY IT WAS BURNING. WHAT A SHAME. SUCH A PART OF HISTORY IN LB. THE FIREMEN DID A GREAT JOB. I HAVE PICTURES SOMEWHERE. STILL MISS THE PIER — AND ALL THE RIDES AND STANDS.
Strange what our minds file away. I can still see all the pigeons flying around the pier in panic as their nests and offspring when up in smoke. I remember not so much about the ruined businesses but instead crying about the loss of animal life.
I was a Monmouth student at the time — 19 years old and working at Tsunami’s that day. I could feel the heat from a couple hundred feet away — really sad how the activity in that area died after that. They’re going to build a new one finally I believe construction begins in 2025.
I used to go there as a young kid. The Haunted Mansion, Max’s Hot Dogs — so many memories. All these years later, I married this past weekend on the same beach. I still see the way it used to be in my head. ❤️
I designed the Kids World super structure and play equipment. My company was SoftPlay Inc. based in Charlotte NC. What a dramatic end to an incredible project for our company.