Imperial Beach Pier Reopens After Five-Day Closure

Imperial Beach Pier reopened Saturday after being closed for five days because of the loss of a piling.

Imperial Beach officials informed the Port of San Diego at around 6:30 p.m. Monday that a pier piling could be seen floating in the water, according to port public information officer Brianne Mundy Page.

Due to the apparent structural damage, Imperial Beach lifeguards closed the pier to the public out of an abundance of caution for public safety, City Manager Andy Hall said.

An inspection and analysis determined the pier's structural integrity was not diminished and is safe for the public to use, Mundy Page said.

The port's engineering department and consultants were still working on a repair schedule for the broken piling. It remains undetermined what caused the piling to break but it was likely due to surf and environmental conditions, Mundy Page said.

Some San Diegans told NBC 7 they are happy the pier is considered safe for them to enjoy again.

San Diegan Samantha Stephan said the Imperial Beach Pier is a staple in the community.

"It means a lot it means relaxation it means outdoor time it means sunshine – overall a mood booster – I love the pier," Stephan said. "I love it – I love the view at the end I love the breeze. I love being able to see all the way down the coastline – it’s really relaxing."

San Diegan Teresa Golden said she enjoys the pier's family-friendly atmosphere.

"I’m very happy that it reopened for everyone and those fishing – we walk the pier all the time – we’ve been coming here for 32 years and people want that pier to stay open so it’s exciting – we come out here all the time and this is why we do it," Golden said.

Stephan said she hopes this scare leads to ongoing inspections.

"I hope it stays open, I hope it stays safe and I’m glad that it was inspected – I hope they do annual inspections now to make sure there’s no issues with it structurally," Stephan said.