Blaze Strikes Atlantic City Boardwalk
Blaze Strikes Atlantic City Boardwalk
Atlantic City, renowned for its vibrant boardwalk and bustling casinos, faced a moment of crisis on Wednesday afternoon as part of its iconic boardwalk succumbed to a fierce fire.
The incident unfolded outside the Resorts Casino Hotel, a popular establishment on the historic stretch of Atlantic City’s shoreline.
Firefighters swiftly mobilized, responding to the emergency at 3:48 p.m. The inferno had escalated, licking at the building’s exterior wall and the marquee above the boardwalk entrance.
The Atlantic City government, in a statement, confirmed that the situation was brought under control by 4:30 p.m., with no reported injuries. Although minimal smoke prompted evacuations of nearby businesses, the casino’s core operations persisted.
“The fire spread to the building’s exterior wall and part of the marquee above the Boardwalk entrance. Minimal smoke extended into the building, forcing brief evacuations of the businesses located near the building’s Boardwalk entrance. The casino floor remained open,” relayed city officials.
Despite the calamity, two adjacent restaurants temporarily shuttered in response to the incident, expressing optimism about reopening later that day, as revealed by Fire Chief Scott Evans and Resorts President Mark Giannantonio.
The blaze, driven by potent winds, ruptured through the boardwalk’s slats, projecting black smoke into the sky and igniting orange flames beneath the Resorts sign. Casino access continued through secondary boardwalk entrances and side access points near parking facilities.
City spokesperson Andrew Kramer stated at 6:15 p.m. that the extent of the damage was still under assessment. The cause of the fire remained elusive, prompting ongoing investigations.
Evans mentioned potential sources, including an electrical malfunction from utilities beneath the walkway or the possibility of accidental ignition by homeless individuals seeking shelter, a recurring concern in Atlantic City.
Homeless individuals had caused other fires on the boardwalk a few times this year. As temperatures dive closer to freezing, some create fires under the boardwalk to keep warm.
With winds whipping under the boardwalk, the fire’s ambers make their way through the boardwalk and on to flammable objects.
Luckily no one was hurt in this situation.
Photos in this article were provided via the City of Atlantic City‘s Twitter (X) account.