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Yet another pier destroyed by fire. I think it is so sad that we are losing these historic monuments. I wonder how safe the 3 at Blackpool are?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 24499.html

Fleetwood's landmark pier gutted by fire

By Jerome Taylor
Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Firefighters tackle the blaze at Fleetwood Pier early yesterday after the structure was engulfed by flames

One of Britain's historic piers has been consumed by flames. Firefighters were called to tackle the blaze at Fleetwood Pier in Lancashire during the early hours of yesterday morning. Despite their best efforts the fire raged for more than four hours and left little more than a mass of twisted and charred metal.

The ramshackle pier is the second to disappear in flames this summer following a fire two months ago which destroyed the famous Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare. Fires have also gutted piers in Southend-on-Sea and in Brighton.

More than 90 firefighters and 10 engines tackled the blaze after a 4.30am call from a member of the public, who saw smoke coming from the century-old pier.

High-level cranes pumped water from a boating lake to douse the flames as dozens of people lined the promenade to watch the town's most famous landmark gradually succumb.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze had already taken hold of much of the pier by the time firefighters arrived. "When they got there it was well alight and structurally it has been destroyed," said the spokeswoman.

The pier, built towards the end of the great age of pier building in 1910, had fallen into disrepair and had been boarded up when rough sleepers moved in.

Sheila Grace, 60, born in Fleetwood and owner of the nearby Sandpipers Hotel on the Esplanade, spoke of her sadness. She said: "I know things have changed, but it was the jewel in Fleetwood's crown – everybody headed there and everybody knew it – and in the last few years it has been just nothing."

Although fire chiefs said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the blaze, many people expressed their suspicions about teenagers who lingered on the derelict pier in the evenings.

Eric Smallman, 43, who owns the Savoy hotel 75 yards from the pier, said: "We have had a bit of trouble recently with kids breaking into it and causing mischief really. Lots of local residents were concerned something like this would happen. It was boarded up in the last few days and I have heard this morning that kids were in there last night. It sounds like they were messing around and inadvertently started the fire. It hasn't been a nice pier to look at and needed something doing with it. It would have been nice to bring it back to use."

Wyre Borough Council leader Russell Forsyth said: "It is devastating to see what has happened, but thankfully there was no loss of life, which is always the first consideration.

"It was also fortunate that the wind was blowing in the right direction to keep the fire away from neighbouring houses and the promenade. The council must get together with the owner to clean up the site as soon as possible."

The town had been divided over the future of the famous pier. The owner had wanted to redevelop the site and turn it into luxury flats but hundreds of people had signed a petition to keep the pier.

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Mel

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Not the first time for Fleetwood Pier! I wonder if they will rebuild it this time? I doubt it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7606597.stm

Memories of the pier fire in 1952
The pictures of Fleetwood pier ablaze brought back memories of a similar fire more than 50 years ago for one former local resident.

Nora Perrin, 70, was 14 years old when the pier was damaged by fire in 1952.

"The fire started sometime during the night and my mum came and woke me and my sister to tell us about it.
Fleetwood was a tourist town and the pier was a big part of life there.
During the week it was mainly for tourists - and there were lots of them - but on a Sunday it was a place for all the young people to meet.
There was a cinema, coffee bar and lots of slot machines and people used to fish off the jetty. It was very popular and we were a seaside town and it was one of the main attractions so when it was on fire it was big news.
I could see the fire from the window, but me, my sister and my mum and dad went out in the street to watch the flames.
My sister had actually been at the cinema earlier that night. We couldn't believe it - we were totally amazed.
The neighbours were the same - all out in the street watching.
It was still smouldering the next day and you could still smell smoke - I think most of Fleetwood could smell it.
Everyone wondered how it happened. The general consensus was that someone had dropped a cigarette in the cinema - but I never found out for certain.
It was really important to the town and the people - it was part of our identity.
It brought in a lot of visitors and it was something that had a central role in our lives.
After it burned down we had to find somewhere else to go.
It would have been a serious loss to the shops and businesses on the front too - they would have suffered without it.
But we all made our way back to the pier though after it was rebuilt.
I live in Nottingham now and was surprised to find out with this fire that the pier was derelict.
When you've known a place so alive with lights on, the coffee machines going and the noise from the slot machines and people milling around - it's so sad.
I hope it can be restored like last time because it's a big part of the town and its history. It would be nice if it could be saved for future generations.
This fire is very sad, but maybe it will spur people on to realise it is something to be missed"

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Mel

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