Julio Cortez / AP
Firefighters battle a blaze in a building on the Seaside Park boardwalk on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, in Seaside Park, N.J. The fire began in a frozen custard stand on the Seaside Park section of the boardwalk and quickly spread north into neighboring Seaside Heights.
Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013 | 11:36 a.m.
TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Authorities say a massive boardwalk fire in New Jersey was accidental and they have linked it to electrical wiring and equipment they say was compromised by Superstorm Sandy nearly a year ago.
The announcement was made Tuesday, five days after the fire destroyed more than 50 boardwalk businesses in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights.
Investigators say the fire started under a building that housed a candy store and an ice cream stand.
They say the fire was the result of a failure of electrical equipment and wiring under the boardwalk and subfloor compromised by Sandy floodwaters.
The equipment had been inaccessible since Sandy struck in late October.
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