City leaders in Oceanside consider declaring a local emergency after pier fire

Elizabeth Alvarez
·1 min read
2

UPDATE: Oceanside City Council declares local emergency after pier fire

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — City leaders in Oceanside are considering declaring a local emergency Wednesday because of the fire that erupted on the pier.

It would allow the city to get a faster reimbursement from the federal and state governments, as the it’s now tasked with repairing the longest wooden pier on the West Coast.

Last week’s fire devastated the end of the pier, burning down the vacant building that was once Ruby’s Diner as well as Brine Box, a fresh-seafood-to-go concept that’s fairly new to area.

FOX 5 has learned that a new tenant was getting ready to take over the old Ruby’s and that Brine Box employees were using a section of the diner for meal prepping. According to fire officials, no cooking was happening at the time the fire broke out.

Fire investigators are still trying to figure out how it started, but have ruled out arson. They said it’s likely from “accidental” causes.

The Oceanside City Council will hold a special meeting starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday to determine whether declaring a local emergency is the right move forward.

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