An attraction known as the Jack and Jill slide begins to collapse as firefighters battle the blaze. Town historian Dan Blaney, who was a firefighter at the time, believes he is one of the men photographed on the bottom right.
Noah's Ark, right, a popular attraction, was one of the structures destroyed in the blaze.
Flames billowing from concession stands at the entrance to the pier were visible from as far away as Sebago Lake and Kennebunk. Explosions sent jets of fire more than 60 feet into the air and power lines fell into the streets leaving the beach resort without electricity.
The entire White Way is shown in flames in photo taken from the beach. At left is the entrance to the pier, which is just starting to go up in flames.
A chimney on the Old Orchard Beach pier withstands a massive blaze as firefighters work on the beach to the north side of the pier.
Firefighters battle a fire that partly destroyed Old Orchard Beach pier 50 years ago on July 19, 2019.
Firefighters pour water on The Funspot, an arcade on the Old Orchard Beach pier.
Only 15 minutes after the fire began flames flare up from the beach exit to the White Way of Old Orchard Beach. The OOB Merry-Go-Round was famous for its hand-carved horses which were crafted in England in the late 1800s and imported to this country.
Aftermath of the Old Orchard Beach fire.
The fire started about 8 p.m. and spread quickly.
More than 20 concessions in the White Way and another 10 on the pier, including food stands, games and souvenir shops, were lost in the July 20 fire, along with a tall slide and a "pretzel ride."
The newspaper reported that police said only one person was seriously hurt in the fire, a 12 year-old girl from New Hampshire who suffered second degree burns on both legs. The newspaper report said she was in excellent condition at Webber Hospital, Biddeford. An OOB patrolman also suffered burns on his face while helping people down ladders from the pier.
The Old Orchard Beach fire broke out in the beach front area of the White Way to the east of the pier, leaving about 100 people without jobs.
The Old Orchard Beach Fire Department and firefighters from 10 surrounding communities battled the blaze for more than three and a half hours.
Aftermath of Old Orchard Beach fire. The fire burned away nearly a third of the pier at the height of the tourist season.
Old Orchard Beach town historian Dan Blaney poses for a portrait in Harmon Museum & Historical Society's exhibit of notable fires. Blaney was a young firefighter 50 years ago today when a fire broke out at the pier, destroying several attractions and the entrance to the popular landmark.
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