TOMS RIVER - The fire that destroyed a four-block section of the boardwalk in Seaside Heights and Seaside Park was likely caused by an electrical malfunction in wiring affected by Sandy, officials said Tuesday.
The fire originated in wires under the boardwalk of a candy store and an ice cream stand in Seaside Park, said Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.
Her said the wires dated from the 1970s.
The fire broke out Thursday afternoon inside an ice cream shop on the boardwalk in Seaside Park and spread north, whipped by the wind.
Firefighters battled the blaze for more than eight hours to control it and ripped up a one block section of the boardwalk to create a trench that apparently checked the fire's spread.
The Christie administration has decided the state will use Sandy-recovery money to pay for debris removal to speed the rebuilding process. Gov. Christie has also pledged $15 million from the funds to help rebuild the burned businesses.
