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| Fire rips through Eastbourne Pier destroying roof | Fire rips through Eastbourne Pier destroying roof |
| (6 months later) | |
| A devastating fire has torn through Eastbourne Pier. | A devastating fire has torn through Eastbourne Pier. |
| The main roof of the pier, built in the East Sussex seaside town in the 1870s, has been completely destroyed, leaving only a metal skeleton. | The main roof of the pier, built in the East Sussex seaside town in the 1870s, has been completely destroyed, leaving only a metal skeleton. |
| The pier was evacuated. No-one was injured in the fire and police said it was not thought to be suspicious. | The pier was evacuated. No-one was injured in the fire and police said it was not thought to be suspicious. |
| The fire service said late on Wednesday the incident was being scaled down and 30 firefighters were expected to stay at the scene overnight. | The fire service said late on Wednesday the incident was being scaled down and 30 firefighters were expected to stay at the scene overnight. |
| Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt said he was hopeful the pier could be repaired and understood the fire had been started by an electrical fault. | Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt said he was hopeful the pier could be repaired and understood the fire had been started by an electrical fault. |
| "The emergency services have done a fantastic job," he said. | "The emergency services have done a fantastic job," he said. |
| "The fact that as far as we're aware that nobody's hurt - we're not aware of anybody unaccounted for - they evacuated the site very quickly and they've managed to contain it to that front dome so there's hope of getting the pier restored. | "The fact that as far as we're aware that nobody's hurt - we're not aware of anybody unaccounted for - they evacuated the site very quickly and they've managed to contain it to that front dome so there's hope of getting the pier restored. |
| "The building which has been affected is the largest dome on the pier, and it has been badly damaged - but further down it looks as it's always looked. | "The building which has been affected is the largest dome on the pier, and it has been badly damaged - but further down it looks as it's always looked. |
| "My understanding... [is] it looks as if there was a problem with electrics in the wall of the dome between the two layers of the wall there and that seems to be where it started." | "My understanding... [is] it looks as if there was a problem with electrics in the wall of the dome between the two layers of the wall there and that seems to be where it started." |
| The blaze broke out behind some wood panelling in the arcade building and billowing smoke filled the air. | The blaze broke out behind some wood panelling in the arcade building and billowing smoke filled the air. |
| Sian Ellis, a hotel manager in the town, said it was an "absolute red, molten, mess of flame and smoke". | Sian Ellis, a hotel manager in the town, said it was an "absolute red, molten, mess of flame and smoke". |
| "We've just had another explosion there and it's very, very frightening and hugely saddening for the whole of the town," she said. | "We've just had another explosion there and it's very, very frightening and hugely saddening for the whole of the town," she said. |
| Fire minister Penny Mordaunt said she would be visiting Eastbourne "as a priority" to speak to local people and thank firefighters for their efforts. | Fire minister Penny Mordaunt said she would be visiting Eastbourne "as a priority" to speak to local people and thank firefighters for their efforts. |
| "It is heart-breaking to see such a wonderful Victorian pier so damaged. Thankfully no-one appears to have been hurt," she said. | "It is heart-breaking to see such a wonderful Victorian pier so damaged. Thankfully no-one appears to have been hurt," she said. |
| 'Under control' | 'Under control' |
| About 80 firefighters had tackled the blaze in the privately-owned pier, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said. | About 80 firefighters had tackled the blaze in the privately-owned pier, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said. |
| A fire service spokesman said at one stage: "Firefighters are using lifeboats to help tackle the fire from the sea and an aerial platform is being used as a water tower to prevent the fire from spreading on the shore side." | A fire service spokesman said at one stage: "Firefighters are using lifeboats to help tackle the fire from the sea and an aerial platform is being used as a water tower to prevent the fire from spreading on the shore side." |
| He said crews had gone onto the pier from the seaward end to stop the fire spreading further along the structure. | He said crews had gone onto the pier from the seaward end to stop the fire spreading further along the structure. |
| Mark Sawyer, coxswain of Eastbourne Lifeboat, said: "The main structure is gone now and it's a metal shell." | Mark Sawyer, coxswain of Eastbourne Lifeboat, said: "The main structure is gone now and it's a metal shell." |
| Pier fires | Pier fires |
| Councillor Philip Ede, from Eastbourne Borough Council, who witnessed the fire, said: "It looks pretty drastic from where I'm standing. | Councillor Philip Ede, from Eastbourne Borough Council, who witnessed the fire, said: "It looks pretty drastic from where I'm standing. |
| "There's a lot of smoke and flames engulfing the first section of the pier. We pray the fire brigade can save as much of the building as possible." | "There's a lot of smoke and flames engulfing the first section of the pier. We pray the fire brigade can save as much of the building as possible." |
| Des Pritchard, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, said: "Our firefighters have saved a huge amount of the pier - there's a great deal that's still there. | Des Pritchard, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, said: "Our firefighters have saved a huge amount of the pier - there's a great deal that's still there. |
| "It is very sad but pier fires are very difficult to fight and many result in the complete loss of the pier." | "It is very sad but pier fires are very difficult to fight and many result in the complete loss of the pier." |
| A police spokeswoman added: "It has been confirmed that the pier was safely and quickly evacuated and there was no-one trapped by the fire when it broke out. | A police spokeswoman added: "It has been confirmed that the pier was safely and quickly evacuated and there was no-one trapped by the fire when it broke out. |
| "The fire is not believed to be suspicious at this time." | "The fire is not believed to be suspicious at this time." |
| Ant Miller, who was on the beach when the fire broke out, said it quickly spread throughout the building. | Ant Miller, who was on the beach when the fire broke out, said it quickly spread throughout the building. |
| "There's quite a warm breeze here in Eastbourne today so it took pretty quickly," he said. | "There's quite a warm breeze here in Eastbourne today so it took pretty quickly," he said. |
| "Within 20 minutes or so, lots of flames, lots of smoke. When we noticed it, it looked like the pier was evacuated pretty much immediately." | "Within 20 minutes or so, lots of flames, lots of smoke. When we noticed it, it looked like the pier was evacuated pretty much immediately." |
| Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd said it looked like the pier had been saved from being completely destroyed. | Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd said it looked like the pier had been saved from being completely destroyed. |
| "The good news is that we don't have a Brighton or Hastings scenario where the whole pier is destroyed," he said. | "The good news is that we don't have a Brighton or Hastings scenario where the whole pier is destroyed," he said. |
| Airbourne, one of Eastbourne's biggest events, is due to take place on the seafront between 14 and 17 August. | Airbourne, one of Eastbourne's biggest events, is due to take place on the seafront between 14 and 17 August. |
| The pier was built in the 1870s and, according to the Piers Society, previously had a theatre and a "camera obscura" built on it. | The pier was built in the 1870s and, according to the Piers Society, previously had a theatre and a "camera obscura" built on it. |
| Today, a number of cafes, bars and a nightclub are situated along the pier. | Today, a number of cafes, bars and a nightclub are situated along the pier. |
| It has featured in films and television programmes including the Michael Caine movie Last Orders and Brit flick Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. | It has featured in films and television programmes including the Michael Caine movie Last Orders and Brit flick Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. |
| Hastings Pier was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 2010 and West Pier in Brighton burned down in 2003. | Hastings Pier was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 2010 and West Pier in Brighton burned down in 2003. |
| The BBC's Sarah Bell: My Eastbourne | The BBC's Sarah Bell: My Eastbourne |
| As someone raised on the sunshine coast, seeing the pier in flames has left me feeling deeply sad and unsettled. | As someone raised on the sunshine coast, seeing the pier in flames has left me feeling deeply sad and unsettled. |
| The symbol of the town, its Victorian structure was the constant backdrop to my childhood of chilly dips in the sea. | The symbol of the town, its Victorian structure was the constant backdrop to my childhood of chilly dips in the sea. |
| It even played a part in the social structure of teenage years - with the beaches either side reserved for the coolest kids. | It even played a part in the social structure of teenage years - with the beaches either side reserved for the coolest kids. |
| Later it was where we would drink local cider and snog boys, in the years before nights out involved tottering up to the nightclub at the end. | Later it was where we would drink local cider and snog boys, in the years before nights out involved tottering up to the nightclub at the end. |
| Within an hour of the news my Facebook feed was filled with local friends expressing sadness and shock that a key part part of the town's history could be so easily destroyed. | Within an hour of the news my Facebook feed was filled with local friends expressing sadness and shock that a key part part of the town's history could be so easily destroyed. |
| I just hope that it can be restored and not suffer the fate of the structures in neighbouring towns. | I just hope that it can be restored and not suffer the fate of the structures in neighbouring towns. |