Silver Gull Cabana Building Destroyed in Christmas Eve Blaze

By Katie McFadden

A Christmas eve fire brought devastation to the historic Silver Gull Beach Club. In the early morning hours, a fire broke out in one of the club’s beachfront cabanas, destroying the building.

At around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 24, FDNY and volunteer firehouses like Point Breeze and Rockaway Point Volunteer Fire Departments responded to a fire at 1 Beach 193rd Street, the Silver Gull Beach Club. A fire broke out at one of the beachfront cabana buildings near one of the main pools at the club, which was closed for the season. The fire was a complicated job due to limited access and limited hydrants near the site, as the third-alarm fire worked its way through the two-story wooden structure.

A total of 63 fire units and 193 firefighters took on the blaze, which became dangerous as the situation transpired. “The first unit to arrive immediately transmitted a second alarm due to the heavy fire,” FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief David Simms said. “At the high point of the fire, we had five handlines operating due to collapse concerns. Units were pulled out of the building, and we set up an exterior attack.”

It took firefighters more than three hours to contain the blaze, getting it under control at 7:42 a.m., as the sun began to rise. However, due to their actions, there were no injuries, and the fire was contained to the single cabana building, leaving 30 to 40 cabana units destroyed, which accounts for less than 10% of the property’s 457 units.

According to Qns.com, the NYC Department of Buildings reported during the day to survey the damage, but upon being told that the Silver Gull is federal property, where they have no jurisdiction, they stopped investigations.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Rockaway Times reached out to the National Park Service requesting further information about the incident and the future of the property but did not receive a response by press time.

The Silver Gull Beach Club is considered a concession for the National Park Service since Gateway was created in 1972. Since 2012, the Silver Gull and Breezy Point Surf Clubs have been operated by JBAY, LLC, whose parent company is Ortega National Parks, LLC. JBAY, LLC previously repaired large portions of the Club after it was devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

The Silver Gull, located just before Breezy Point, opened in 1963. It offers private cabanas, food service, recreational activities, pools, private beach access, kids camps and more. Visitors can gain seasonal access or utilize day passes to access the property in the summer. People from the peninsula to Brooklyn to Manhattan and beyond make use of the facilities each summer.

The Silver Gull also gained some notoriety when parts of the 1984 film, “The Flamingo Kid” starring Matt Dillon, were filmed there.

 Photos by Point Breeze FD and Tom Farley.