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| Fire tears through seaside pier | Fire tears through seaside pier |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thirty firefighters are tackling a huge blaze at the Grand Pier in the Somerset seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. | Thirty firefighters are tackling a huge blaze at the Grand Pier in the Somerset seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. |
| Black smoke and flames are billowing into the sky and are said to be visible from as far away as Cardiff and Bristol. | |
| One witness told the BBC the fire broke out at the foot of the West Tower. | One witness told the BBC the fire broke out at the foot of the West Tower. |
| BBC Radio Bristol reporter Nigel Dando, who is at the scene, said: "It looks as if the pier has collapsed on itself. Nothing is going to be saved." | BBC Radio Bristol reporter Nigel Dando, who is at the scene, said: "It looks as if the pier has collapsed on itself. Nothing is going to be saved." |
| "I'm about 200 yards away from the fire, there'll be nothing left after this fire, it's a desperately sad scene." | "I'm about 200 yards away from the fire, there'll be nothing left after this fire, it's a desperately sad scene." |
| Dee Williams, deputy manager of the Grand Atlantic Hotel, which lies 200 yards from the pier, said: "It is an inferno. There will be no pier by tonight. It is the most horrendous thing. There are massive red flames, hundreds of feet in the air, all over the pier Jacquie Whelan | |
| "There are loud bangs going off, which could be fireworks because there was a display on there recently. The tide is out and I think they are having difficulty getting water to it. | "There are loud bangs going off, which could be fireworks because there was a display on there recently. The tide is out and I think they are having difficulty getting water to it. |
| "My night porter spotted the flames at 7.15am. There are lots of people about, watching the fire, and the police have blocked off the road. | "My night porter spotted the flames at 7.15am. There are lots of people about, watching the fire, and the police have blocked off the road. |
| "The pier was bought by new owners and done up recently, it is part of our identity and would really affect trade if we were to lose it." | |
| Jacquie Whelan, owner of Sunfold Hotel on Beach Road, said: "I just looked out of the window about 10 minutes ago when I woke up and could not believe what I was seeing. | Jacquie Whelan, owner of Sunfold Hotel on Beach Road, said: "I just looked out of the window about 10 minutes ago when I woke up and could not believe what I was seeing. |
| "It is the most horrendous thing. There are massive red flames, hundreds of feet in the air, all over the pier. | |
| "We are a five minute walk to the pier and from where I am standing it just looks like a huge bonfire. It is not going to survive." | "We are a five minute walk to the pier and from where I am standing it just looks like a huge bonfire. It is not going to survive." |
| Bruce Watson, who works at the Sovereign shopping centre opposite the Grand Pier, said: "The fire has taken complete control of the pier, they won't be able to repair it. | Bruce Watson, who works at the Sovereign shopping centre opposite the Grand Pier, said: "The fire has taken complete control of the pier, they won't be able to repair it. |
| "It's just a shell virtually now, the flames are hundreds of feet high and the smoke into thousands of feet." | |
| Police have placed a cordon around the pier and beach and advised people to avoid the area. | |
| The quarter-of-a-mile-long pier, which attracts thousands of visitors a year, reopened in April after a massive revamp. | The quarter-of-a-mile-long pier, which attracts thousands of visitors a year, reopened in April after a massive revamp. |
| It was owned by the Brenner family for three generations and had only changed hands three times since it opened in 1904. | |
| Earlier this year, it was sold in a multi-million pound deal to brother and sister Michelle and Kerry Michael. | |
| Relatives of Mr Michael said he left the country yesterday for a holiday in Spain. | |
| Speaking from his home in Bleadon, near Weston-super-Mare, a woman, who asked not to be named, said Mr Michael was aware of the situation and was likely to return home as soon as possible. | |
| Are you in the area? Can you see the fire? Send us your comments using the form below: | Are you in the area? Can you see the fire? Send us your comments using the form below: |
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