The first multi-alarm fire since Hooper’s Crab House burned down in 2002 occurred when the Dough Roller on South Division Street and the Boardwalk caught fire 13 years ago last month on March 30, 2008.
There was fear of losing an entire block of the southern part of the Boardwalk, but a quick response by the Ocean City Fire Department and mutual aid from 22 area fire departments brought the blaze under control.
Downtown was in gridlock for several hours as hose lines spread across the streets and traffic on the Route 50 Bridge came to a standstill. With the additional manpower from the mutual aid companies and skillful tactics on the part of Ocean City’s fire ground command, the fire was confined to only two buildings. The rest of the block, including Marty’s Playland, was saved.
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Photo by Bunk Mann