Basically, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, along with Federal ATF, State Fire Marshal, etc. came to this conclusion:
Criminal activity ruled out, careless smoking ruled out.
Probable cause was electrical; an 'arc' in 1970 vintage wiring apparently under the boardwalk, and not possible to have been inspected after the storm last year.
Although not said in the articles I have read, it sounds like feeders that were 'under the boards, and in sand. No mention of any raceways made.
As I know the area, last Thursday evening I had a gut feeling that electrical would be the prime cause, along with the 30+ MPH wind out of the south.
The area where it started was not new boardwalk, but original (old) boards, as the storm wrath destroyed the pier that was at that area. (Funtown Pier) The buildings were 'vintage',(being kind) and received 'some work' related to the storm damage.
An example of not following the NEMA Flood Damage guidelines??
