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Dear Mr. Coney Island...
I remember walking outside as a child and feeling hot ashes hitting me the day Luna Park burned down. Can you tell me the exact date and what caused the fire.
- Dolores

Hello Dolores,

Luna's devastating fire happened on August 12, 1944. It started in the park's scenic railway on West 12th Street, but the cause is unknown.

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Holly M. I am a reporter with News 12. Can you please call me at 917-662-6126. I am doing a story about the new Luna Park that is expected this May. I would love to see the picture of your father.

At the time Luna Park burned down, we lived on Stillwell Avenue facing the subway station. I can remember sitting at my bedroom window with my mother and sister watching the fire that burned down Luna Park. I can remember going to Luna Park and going on the water chute (the ride where the donkey pulled you up the big hill, and then you slid down. It was a magic world to me, and to this day I can remember little things about Luna Park. The circus, the smells of the concession stands, but mostly the pure joy. I grew up in Coney Island, and there was nothing that compared with the great Luna Park. Why they never rebuilt it, I will never know. Now when you go back to Coney Island even the Steeple Chase is gone, and the island has been destroyed with hugh apartment houses. I wish I could go back to the early 40's and 50's, when Coney Island was still a place of wonderful experiences.

I am working on a documentary about Coney Island for my film class in SUNY Albany and I would like to learn more about Coney when it was in its prime. I myself, am from Bensonhurst and grew up going to Coney everyday, even in the wintertime, but I was wondering if anybody could help me with memories, descriptions or history of Coney during its prime?

Thanks!

-Virginia, Do you happen to have any pictures of Coney from that time?

I remember watching the "fire" from Brooklyn, we lived on Fort Hamilton Parkway in a three story walk up, we watched from the roof it was four days before my sixth birthday, I remember it well.

My father was a NYC fireman who fought the fire and was pictured rescuing a woman from the blaze.
Years later, he showed me a newspaper clipping with a picture of him carrying the woman. The caption read, "an unidentified fireman...." He complained that no one asked him his name. I believe I still have the photo.

I was eight years old when the fire broke I still remember the flames. I lived on 19th Street off Mermaid Ave.

This is a great historic photograph. I was wondering if there are printed or digital copies available?
I would love to have this for may collection.

I read there were 2 fires at Luna Park in 1944...................all I could find was the August 12th fire..........when was the first fire that year?

my grand pa fought two fires at coney island. and the 1944 fire.

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