Pier Today Gone Tomorrow

Standing helpless and empty the once proud pier has fallen in a torrent of flames taking 10 fire crews to dampen the blaze. Huge flames could be seen rising into the sky as a large cloud of smoke billowed across the sea. By 9am, some of the building was reduced to its steel girders.

'Sixty fire-fighters were at the scene along with two aerial ladder platforms. When they got there it was well alight and structurally it has been destroyed.' 

Business Woman Diana Christy, 59, was woken at 5am by the sound of water jets.

She said: 'When I looked out of my window I could see three fire engines with firemen on skyscraper ladders spraying water down on the pier 'there wasn't  lots of flames licking the sky. . My neighbour said the fire engines arrived at 4.30am.

The pier was only boarded up three days ago but has been closed for much longer. 'I'm involved in the tourist industry in Fleetwood and have recently just lost my tea room because of the recession. This is the last thing that Fleetwood needed right now.'

Eric Smallman, owner of the Savoy Hotel opposite the pier, told the BBC: 'Fifty per cent of the pier has actually collapsed - the other fifty per cent is pretty well ablaze.
'The flames are starting to come through what's left of the main building. The fire brigade are spraying water on it but apart from that I think there's not a lot else they can do.' 

Councillor Mike Sanderson stated

In my view the inevitable has happened to Fleetwood Pier, local residents have been saying for some time that it will go up in smoke because it's been empty and in disrepair for years. Its too early to say how the blaze started but I am sure that speculation will be rife.