Oceanside Pier fire prompts beach closure

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — If you were planning a beach day in Oceanside Friday or this weekend, you may need to adjust your plans.

Those in the area may have already assumed this after seeing smoke billowing from the end of the iconic Oceanside Pier Thursday afternoon as the former Ruby’s Diner went up in flames.

Could the Oceanside Pier collapse due to fire?

Bursts of flames and smoke could still be seen in the early hours of Friday morning. Though fire officials have said it’s under control, there are still safety concerns regarding the hours-long blaze.

Oceanside Fire Chief David Parsons said debris has been falling from the end of the pier into the ocean, causing hazardous conditions due to chemicals from the burning structure.

The county’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality is monitoring these water issues.

As of Friday, the beach remains closed from south of the Oceanside Pier to Tyson Street. Fire officials are asking the public to stay off the beach and out of the water in the area.

“We do have debris washing up on shore,” Parsons said. “We can’t police every inch of this beach and its a public safety issue if people are coming into this water. We don’t want people getting sick and contacting the potentially contaminated water.”

Signage and barricades have been placed in those areas. The Coast Guard has also enacted a 500-yard safety zone around the pier.

Additionally, the Junior Seau Beach Recreation Center will remain closed until further notice, city officials say. The small Harbor Pier that neighbors the structure, however, will remain open for fishing.

No timeframe for a reopening has been provided at this time. The exact cause of the fire still remains under investigation.

FOX 5’s Elizabeth Alvarez contributed to this report.

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