Seal Beach Declares Emergency After Pier Fire

SEAL BEACH (CBSLA.com) — The Seal Beach City Council declared a local emergency Monday night to speed up repairs to the city's historic pier, the Orange County Register reported.

The 2,200-foot-long pier was seriously damaged Friday morning by a fire that destroyed the old Ruby's restaurant.

It took several firefighting boats and 70 firefighters to knock down the fire, which sent heavy smoke into the air. One firefighter was treated for injuries. Divers inspected the pilings and found them to be solid.

After the fire, there was an outpouring of concern from the community. "The pier's been through a lot, trough storms and now fires," said Kevin Kroph of Seal Beach. "It's kind of sad." Others who said they had fond childhood memories of the pier came from as far as Rancho Cucamonga to see the damage.

Ruby's had been closed for three years before the fire. The area was closed off when the fire broke out.