A fire that apparently began in an ice cream shop in Seaside Park on Thursday afternoon and swiftly consumed several blocks of the boardwalk that connects the Shore town and neighboring Seaside Heights, as well as buildings along the walkway, was finally brought to heel about 8 in the evening. Officials said at least 20 businesses along the boardwalk were destroyed or heavily damaged in the wind-whipped blaze, including familiar institutions such as Maruca's Pizza; the Carousel Arcade; the clubs Jack & Bill's, Beachcomber, and Sawmill; as well as a Kohr's frozen custard joint - where the fire apparently began. Hundreds of firefighters were involved and officials said two of them had to be treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. 'I can't believe after all we went through . . . it's heartbreaking, devastating,' said Seaside Park Police Chief Francis Larkin, referring to the devastation left in the area a year ago by Hurricane Sandy. 'I think I'm gonna wake up and it'll be a bad dream.' Larkin said firefighters would continue dumping water on a 19-block stretch for 24 to 36 more hours. In a 10 p.m. briefing, Ocean County Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel called the four boardwalk blocks that burned 'a war zone.' He said that the fire was 70 percent contained, with no threat of it spreading, but that firefighters continued to douse hot spots. Gabriel said 300 to 400 firefighters from every department in Ocean Co.