1987 Long Branch Pier Fire - WABC News Report

[lumeriam]

I grew up in Belford and came to this pier for the fun, clam steamers and beer, sunshine and ocean scenery. 'Mary Lynn' of the Blue Dolphin, 1983.

[zaq4267]

I never understood why they did not rebuild. They must have had insurance. Come on, that place was like money in the bank.

Perhaps mob was looking for bigger monthly cash payment. The owner said F-that and well, the rest is history.

[MixerWitantoCom]

this made me want to cry T_T

[radiodj1520]

I Believe This Was A Video Clip Of WABC-TV's Channel 7 Eyewitness News At 11's Report On Long Branch Pier Fire On Monday Night, June 8, 1987.

[Kemruss]

This was a total insurance job....the next year the other half of the boardwalk went up in flames....and in came the condo's

[sassystar007]

@Kemruss for real???? i lived in that area for years, and used to vacation there before moving there... went to l.b. high.. this is so sad... i just hooked up with this site... the memories come bacvk; with tears as a chaser.. damn progress!!!! wish i could move bck though... at least we have the ocean left...

[bpkeane1]

Condo Planning came in and amusements went out at least I remember what

Long Branch featured during the long hot summer months.

[passdadutch187]

i was 6 when we lost it i think it fuckt longbranch up !~!!!!

[johnissoevil]

I remember the days before they called it Kids' World. My parents used to take me there when I was a kid, I loved going on the rides there.

[dawidi777]

They actually had a mini roller coaster on that pier. Under the boardwalk was a shame really, Hiperdermic needles all over and under the sand,. scary.

[waukee321]

I remember the pier, Kids World, the Water Slide, the Pier Pub Bar and the Mansion. I recall the mansion being very dark and you would go through it in groups of about 10. It was about 2 or 3 floors and the stairs were laid out in an open square format where you could peer up or down the center. The last part was about a guy who got you to sing about rats (kinda corney) and then you walked through a narrow passage with rubber rat tails brushing against your legs.

[Sanityslasthope]

If I'm not mistaken, they rebuilt the pier into condos?

[johnissoevil]

The area is now a combination condo/retail complex known as Pier Village.

[DJutubinator1221]

I wish  could of spent time there. My qaurter aid at my school mr. bass worked there. I'm in 8t grade.

[da1c2345]

Omg, i used to live in Long Branch and all my teachers used to talk about how great Kids World was, I even talked to the security guard at my former school...Mr. Bass is his name, he worked at the Haunted Mansion and he told me how cool it was. I'm 16 years old now and looking at this really makes me wana go back in time just to see how one day there was......(sigh)

[waynealarsen]

I watched it burn through the afternoon from the end of Brighton ave. we walked down as far as we could and walked back.

[HotMix106]

i remember the club on the end of the pier and of course the mansion....so many memories there

[Kemruss]

This clip brings back so many memories...on so many levels....Kids World...Haunted Mansion...Tim Fleicher's and Jim Nolan's voice...to be young and New Jersian

[waynealarsen]

Thanks, I used to work at the Mansion. Grew up on North Broadway, the pier was HEAVEN!!!!

[MondoBeno]

There were similar disasters throughout the USA. The Venice Beach pier burned in the 1960's, and like its Long Branch counterpart, it never recovered. Coney Island's Luna Park burned in 1912 and didn't recover either.

When a seaside attraction like this burns down, the insurance payout may not cover the rebuilding.

Also, seaside attractions lost business in the 1970's, because cheaper air travel allowed families ot go to Florida for vacation. TV didn't help either.

[santos9318]

:( i was sad wen it burned i was like 3 and the arcade was so awesome and i always went there

[stephmines]

~This was a horrible day in Long Branch. I was about the age of 16 yrs old, Im now 36. I remember standing across the street after school @ the STUFF YER FACE restaurant with my brother & friends. All of us teenagers among millions of other people were very sad. It was the place to go back in those days for kids, it was the only thing to do where we had a good time. Now in Long Branch, there is absolutely nothing left for kids to do.

[TedMaloney]

I was 18 and I watched the fire all day as well.

T

E

D

[Zephyrnix]

Yeah, the boardwalk was never the same after Kids World burned down.