1915 Ocean Park pier fire
Event in California
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The 1915 Ocean Park pier fire broke out about 1 a.m. on Monday, December 27, 1915, during the pier's mid-winter festival event in Ocean Park, Los Angeles County, California, United States. The fire destroyed about a third of Fraser's pier, including the dance hall, much of the Ben Hur roller coaster, a concession building, and part of the scenic railway on the north side of the pier.[1][2] The explosion of a 100 U.S. gal (380 L; 83 imp gal) gasoline tank on the pier contributed to the destruction.[3]
![](#/media/File:"Ruins_of_the_Ocean_Park_Pier_fire"_The_Los_Angeles_Times,_published_1915-12-28.jpg) "Ruins of the Ocean Park Pier fire" (Los Angeles Times, December 28, 1915) | |
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| Date | December 27, 1915 |
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| Coordinates | 33.997°N 118.4827°E |
Concessions damaged or destroyed included Paris by Night,[2] the Bollinger Baby Little Elizabeth,[2] small Japanese-owned shops,[2] a bowling alley,[2] Esquimaux [Eskimo] Village,[2] Puzzletown,[2] Arabian Village,[2] candy shop,[4] a palm-reader's room,[4] cigar store,[4] and a "midget village."[4] The Davis soda fountain within the dance hall was also a total loss.[5] The Breakers Café was saved.[2]
The fire was likely started by an incompletely extinguished cigarette igniting the dance hall,[6] or possibly faulty wiring.[4] Among the people rescued by firefighters was an "Eskimo babe" who lived in an Eskimo village attraction on the pier.[2] The Eskimo village usually had huskies on exhibit but they were not present at the time of the fire because they were being used on a film shoot in the mountains.[5] There were eight monkeys or apes living on the pier at the time of the fire; they were released to fend for themselves when the fire broke out.[5] Five monkeys were recovered by the following day.[5]
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