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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Fire rips through Eastbourne Pier | Fire rips through Eastbourne Pier |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A huge fire is ripping through Eastbourne Pier. | A huge fire is ripping through Eastbourne Pier. |
| The roof of the pier, built in the 1870s, has been completely destroyed as flames continue to tear through the building in the East Sussex seaside town. | The roof of the pier, built in the 1870s, has been completely destroyed as flames continue to tear through the building in the East Sussex seaside town. |
| The blaze broke out behind some wood panelling in the arcade building and billowing smoke is filling the air. | The blaze broke out behind some wood panelling in the arcade building and billowing smoke is filling 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. |
| About 80 firefighters are tackling the blaze and are expected to remain on the scene for several hours, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said. | |
| A fire service spokesman said: "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 sea-ward end to try and stop the fire spreading further along the structure. | |
| The Victorian pier has been evacuated and there are no reports of any injuries. | The Victorian pier has been evacuated and there are no reports of any injuries. |
| Mark Sawyer, who is the coxwain of Eastbourne Lifeboat, said: "The main structure is gone now and it's a metal shell. | Mark Sawyer, who is the coxwain of Eastbourne Lifeboat, said: "The main structure is gone now and it's a metal shell. |
| "The fire has spread to the middle section and it's burning frantically. | "The fire has spread to the middle section and it's burning frantically. |
| "There was a large cheer from the crowd when the hoses arrived, but it's now looking ominous." | "There was a large cheer from the crowd when the hoses arrived, but it's now looking ominous." |
| Pier fires | Pier fires |
| Councillor Philip Ede, from Eastbourne Borough Council, who is witnessing the fire, said: "It looks pretty drastic from where I'm standing. | Councillor Philip Ede, from Eastbourne Borough Council, who is witnessing 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. | "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." | "We pray the fire brigade can save as much of the building as possible." |
| A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: "We are attacking the fire from the coastal side of the building, from the beach and from underneath the Pier. | A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: "We are attacking the fire from the coastal side of the building, from the beach and from underneath the Pier. |
| "Reasonable progress is being made considering there are high winds." | "Reasonable progress is being made considering there are high winds." |
| 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 sort of 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 sort of 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. | |
| "The good news is that we don't have a Brighton or Hastings scenario where the whole pier is destroyed," he said. | |
| 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 film Last Orders and Brit flick Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. | It has featured in films and television programmes including the Michael Caine film 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. |
| Are you in Eastbourne? Did you see the fire? You can email your photos and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Eastbourne'. | Are you in Eastbourne? Did you see the fire? You can email your photos and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Eastbourne'. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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