Blaze destroys historic seaside pier
LONDON (AP) - July 28, 2008 There were no immediate reports of casualties.
"Our understanding is that there were no general members of the
public in the pier," Great Western Ambulance Service spokesman
Richard Turner said.
Jacquie Whelan, owner of the nearby Sunfold Hotel, said he could
not believe the scale of the inferno. "They are massive red
flames, hundreds of feet in the air, all over the pier," Whelan
said as the fire raged. "We are a five-minute walk to the pier,
and from where I am standing it just looks like a huge bonfire."
The Grand Pier, built in 1904, was listed as a historic
monument. Its entertainment complex included rides, a go-cart
track, a bar and a cafe.
Sky News television footage showed a fire spreading quickly
through the partly wooden structure, sending a massive column of
smoke into the clear sky above Weston-super-Mare, a coastal resort
town 140 miles (225 kilometers) west of London.
Mayor Andrew Horler told Sky that he was "lost for words for
the pure devastation."
"It's a real blow for Weston, it's such a beautiful, iconic
building. ... It's really a centerpiece, just the heart of
Weston-super-Mare."
Avon Fire and Rescue said it was first alerted to the blaze at
about 6:45 a.m. (0545GMT). The fire service said it had 15 engines
and about 100 personnel on the scene.
"It's obviously a very big job for us," fire and rescue
spokesman James Bladon said.
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On the Net:
The Grand Pier: http://www.grandpierwsm.co.uk/
