$4.8-Million Blaze Strikes Redondo Pier

A stubborn fire raged for more than two hours on the storm-battered Redondo Beach Pier Friday afternoon, destroying more than a dozen restaurants and shops and severely charring the pier’s pilings and decking. Damage was estimated at about $4.8 million.

Dozens of patrons and employees were evacuated from the businesses along the pier, but there were no immediate reports of injury.

Portions of the pier and the structures atop it collapsed in the fire and tumbled into the ocean, sending clouds of steam up amid immense columns of dense smoke that were visible for miles.

The manager of Pier Imports, Helen Inginmo, was in her shop when the fire broke out. “We had maybe 10 seconds to get out,” she said. “The fire was right underneath us.”

Redondo Beach fire officials said the blaze apparently was caused by faulty electrical wiring, damaged when two storms hammered the 50-year-old pier earlier this year.

The fire burned approximately 100 yards of the structure, primarily along the inner circumference of the horseshoe-shaped pier. As a result, fireboats approaching from offshore were largely unable to direct water onto the flames.

Fire engines had similar problems because of the distance between their closest approach, on shore, and the fire, which was burning out over the water.

125 Firefighters Involved

At least 17 fire engines with more 125 firefighters responded to the blaze, including units from Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Torrance, El Segundo, Gardena and Los Angeles County.

Firefighters had to cut holes in the pier and crawl down onto the rafters and pipes to fight the blaze.

“I’ve been here 28 years and in my career it was the worst fire we ever had to fight,” said Battalion Chief S.P. Desmond of the Redondo Beach Fire Department.

Fire officials said the flames, which broke out about 1:20 p.m. at The Breakers Seafood Co. restaurant, were fueled by the oily creosote used to preserve the pier’s timbers and protect them from salt water.

As the smoke spread, Redondo Beach police warned spectators to move away, explaining the creosote fumes might be toxic. Firefighters wore masks and air tanks while battling the blaze.

Employees of the restaurants and shops caught in the blaze dashed to safety with financial records, cash registers and anything else of value they could salvage. Some masons who had been doing repair work fled in a golf cart loaded with their equipment.

“You could feel the heat,” said John Seixas, who was visiting a kite shop on the pier when the fire broke out. “It looked like something out of ‘Apocalypse Now.’ ”

About half of the Redondo Beach Police Department’s force of 100 were on hand to help evacuate the area and control the crowds. “The police had difficulty evacuating people from the pier. They wanted to look over the sides and watch it burn under them,” Desmond said.

One businessman who tried to go past a police line toward a burning building was halted and taken into custody. “You guys didn’t even give me a chance,” he complained. “I had stuff to take care of.”

The fire was finally declared under control about 3:30 p.m. and fire officials began searching for the exact cause of the blaze. “Unfortunately most of the stuff we wanted to investigate is floating around in the water. So we may never know where it started,” Desmond said.

Businesses Destroyed

Initial surveys indicated that several restaurants were destroyed or severely damaged, including the Breakers, the Edge and five smaller fast-food outlets. Six shops burned, including Pier Imports, The Candy Man store, Pacific Gem and Pearl, the Solvang Bakery, the Sunshine Kite Co. and a sunglasses store.

Estimate Could Rise

The $4.8-million damage estimate made by Redondo Beach city officials included $2.5 million damage to the pier and $2.3 million to the structures. Scott Mattheus, Redondo Beach city structural inspector, said the figure could rise when the embers cool enough to permit closer inspection.

The fire was the latest in a series of disasters this year to befall the Redondo Beach Pier, which lies at the southern end of King Harbor.

On Jan. 17 and 18, a major Arctic storm inflicted more than $15-million damage to the harbor, ripping out 20 of the pier’s 500 pilings and severely battering a hotel and two restaurants a few hundred yards north of the pier.

Then, on April 30, wind-swept waves caused an additional $1.25-million damage to structures in the harbor area and destroyed a 155-foot fishing promenade, built four years ago, that connected the Redondo Beach Pier to the Monstad Pier on the south.

Previous Storm Damage

Another 31 pilings, including 21 that supported the fishing deck, were knocked out in the April storm. Part of the Monstad Pier, which was built in 1928, has been closed since that storm as workers began the job of replacing damaged pilings.

And on Jan. 31, a grating on a parking structure at the pier collapsed, killing one man and injuring several others.

“It’s just like God has got us on a map and has said those guys are in for it this year,” said Redondo Beach Police Capt. Roger Bass.

The area was battered by an Arctic storm five years ago, when wind-driven waves cresting above record tides caused an estimated $1-million damage to the King Harbor area.

The Redondo Beach Pier, made of wood and concrete, is owned by the city, but leased to three master lessees who operate businesses there or sublease the property.

4 Million Visitors

The city estimates that the pier gets 4 million visitors a year--1 million more than visit the better-known Santa Monica Pier.

Work had been under way at the pier for weeks to repair storm damage and get it in shape for summer.

“This was to be the first big holiday weekend. They worked so hard to get in back open, too,” said Redondo Beach Councilwoman Kay Horrell.

The beaches will be open over Memorial Day weekend.

Fire officials said they hoped to have electrical power restored to part of the pier so that it can be open to the public.

And Bass predicted that the visitors, and the pier itself, will be back eventually.

“It will be back because the folks out here are survivors,” he said.

Times staff writers Paul Feldman, Carol McGraw, Karen Roebuck, George Stein, Peter Warren and Tim Waters contributed to this story.