fire firegeezer on 28 Jul 2008 09:36 am
Resort Pier Burns In UK
Update: Video added.
A MAJOR RESORT-PIER IN SOMERSET, ENGLAND burned down this morning in a spectacular blaze.
BBC photo by Peter Tyler
The massive entertainment complex was built 104 years ago during King Edward’s reign on a pier that juts a quarter-mile out into the Bristol Channel at the resort town of Weston-super-Mare.
The fire alarm was called in at 6:45 am and the fire spread rapidly through the wooden structure. Because of its isolated location in the water, the fire brigades had no hope of getting close enough to mount a good attack on the blaze.
Press Association photo
The owners were just completing a £1 million upgrade that included some new amusement rides and a go-kart track. The FD is still on the scene and there are no reports yet as to the cause, nor have any injuries been reported. We will update this report as information comes in.
BBC photo by Penny Broomhall
The AFP has some background on the pier HERE.
The Independent has more HERE.
The Times has a photo gallery HERE.
The Press Association UK has this good video report:
The AP also has some good raw video of the fire in its early stages:
