On Thursday (April 25), at 3 p.m., a fire broke out in a building on the Oceanside Pier, the longest wooden pier on the West Coast of the United States. Firefighters worked alongside helicopters, fire boats, and ground crews to contain the blaze from multiple angles. By 6 p.m. that day, the main fire had been mostly extinguished. However, firefighters continued to work through the night to clean up hotspots, lasting until Friday morning. Officials said that about 90% of the pier was unaffected by the fire.
The building that caught fire, located in San Diego County, was formerly home to Ruby’s Diner but had been vacant for three years. Nearby, the Brine Box store was still open for business when the fire erupted. Jessica Waite, co-owner of the store, told NBC 7 that their chef Rachel saw smoke coming from behind the old Ruby’s building and remarked that luckily, everyone was safely evacuated. She expressed sadness over the situation.
Thick smoke quickly filled the sky, as two fire boats arrived and began spraying water onto the burning building using high-pressure hoses. Firefighters stationed at the base of the pier had hoses running through the entire structure. Despite warnings, hundreds of onlookers gathered along the coastline to watch the firefighting efforts, with some even taking photos against the backdrop of the burning historic building.
After 15 minutes, Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez announced that the firefighters had shifted to a defensive strategy, prioritizing saving the remaining portions of the pier rather than the restaurant. Later, a helicopter operated jointly by the California Fire Department and the San Diego Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene to provide aerial water spraying onto the building. Officials mentioned that assistance was also provided by crews from Carlsbad, Vista, North County Fire, and Camp Pendleton.
Business owners near the pier, like from Mission Fed Artwalk and Belanova, informed NBC 7 that shops and restaurants in the vicinity had closed due to the smoke and ash blowing ashore.
In a news conference at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oceanside Fire Captain David Parsons stated that lifeguards initially reported the fire, with firefighters arriving within five minutes. He mentioned that the main fire had been mostly contained, with efforts focused on controlling the flames on the deck. A second news conference at 5:45 p.m. revealed that the fire had been contained about 15 feet from the western end of the pier, indicating substantial preservation of the structure itself with minimal damage.
By 6 p.m., the scenes captured by the SkyRanger 7 aerial media were starkly different from several hours prior. While smoke still billowed, it had significantly reduced, and most of the building fires had been extinguished. Fire boats and coast guard vessels remained on-site, continuing water sprays. Parsons mentioned that crews would work through the night to find any hidden hotspots to prevent a reignition.
At 10 p.m., Blake Dorse from the Oceanside Fire Department reported that firefighters were still battling active fires on the restaurant building and the pier. The strategic removal of some pier planks and the creation of a 5-foot trench prevented the fire from spreading further east.
Dorse mentioned that after a night-long battle, a fresh team took over in the morning. By 6 a.m. on Friday, firefighters were still dousing water on the pier, accompanied by four fireboats and two rescue vessels in the water as a precaution. During the night, due to some hard-to-reach burning areas, crews momentarily pulled back, allowing the fire to burn. Parsons noted that at one point, they paused water dousing, leading to visible flames, and though the restaurant roof collapsed, the pier itself remained largely undamaged. He estimated that 90% of the pier had escaped fire damage.
As a precautionary measure, the Oceanside Fire Department closed the beach and surrounding waters until further notice, urging the public to steer clear of the area.
Last year, Oceanside city spent $5.5 million to upgrade aging pipes and electrical systems along the 1,954-foot-long pier. This historical structure, built in 1888, had been destroyed twice before – once in 1890 by violent waves and then again in 1902. The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce noted a fire at the Pier Fish Market in December 1976, where the Pier Cafe was completely burnt down. The current pier was constructed in 1987.
As of now, there have been no reports of injuries. Mayor Sanchez confirmed that plans are in place to rebuild the pier. Parsons stated that investigators were on-site and it might take a few days to determine the cause of the fire.