The 1915 Ocean Park pier fire broke out about 1 a.m. on Monday, December 27, 1915, during the pier's mid-winter festival event in Ocean Park, Los Angeles County, California, United States. The fire destroyed about a third of Fraser's pier, including the dance hall, much of the Ben Hur roller coaster, a concession building, and part of the scenic railway on the north side of the pier.[1][2] The explosion of a 100 U.S. gal (380 L; 83 imp gal) gasoline tank on the pier contributed to the destruction.[3]
Concessions damaged or destroyed included Paris by Night,[2] the Bollinger Baby Little Elizabeth,[2] small Japanese-owned shops,[2] a bowling alley,[2] Esquimaux [Eskimo] Village,[2] Puzzletown,[2] Arabian Village,[2] candy shop,[4] a palm-reader's room,[4] cigar store,[4] and a "midget village."[4] The Davis soda fountain within the dance hall was also a total loss.[5] The Breakers Café was saved.[2]
The fire was likely started by an incompletely extinguished cigarette igniting the dance hall,[6] or possibly faulty wiring.[4] Among the people rescued by firefighters was an "Eskimo babe" who lived in an Eskimo village attraction on the pier.[2] The Eskimo village usually had huskies on exhibit but they were not present at the time of the fire because they were being used on a film shoot in the mountains.[5] There were eight monkeys or apes living on the pier at the time of the fire; they were released to fend for themselves when the fire broke out.[5] Five monkeys were recovered by the following day.[5]
Map showing locations of Santa Monica, Ocean Park, and Venice in 1914
^"The Ocean Park Pier Damaged by Fire". Evening Vanguard. December 27, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^ abcdefghij"Beach Resort Town Once More Visited by Disastrous Fire". Press-Telegram. December 27, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^Goodman, Jeff (December 28, 2015). "December 1915: Flames engulf Ocean Park pier (Santa Monica history)". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^ abcde"Dances in Ashes of $175,000 Blaze". The Bulletin. December 28, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^ abcd"Fire the Toll of Cigarette?". The Los Angeles Times. December 28, 1915. p. 13. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
^"Ocean Park Pier Burns". Evening Vanguard. December 27, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
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