Eastbourne Pier fire

Another Pier Fire.

"Fire crews have saved a "huge amount" of Eastbourne Pier after fire ripped through the Victorian structure leaving only a metal skeleton."

Most people don't know what the piers were built for.

Penny Arcades, Surely?
Steam driven of course.

No not penny arcades.

Years ago when people started having holidays, the roads were rubbish. so they went around the coast to the resorts by Paddle steamers. Trouble was the shores were too shallow for the boats to land so the piers were built to reach out to deeper water and the steamers landed at the ends. When the roads and land transport improved the steamers and the piers were redundant. Elementary my dear Voltman.

I knew that.
I remember the landing stage on Weston's Old pier. It might still be there.

I think Weston had a bad fire in 2008, and the pier was completely rebuilt, so I doubt if there is still a landing stage

That was the newer pier Mike.
Further along the coast there is an older pier that reaches out to Birnbeck island.
There was a paddle steamer jetty and a funfair in its heyday. It has a lifeboat station now but has been in need of proper repairs for many years.

Did it also have the life boat launch station on it?

What did I just say?

I was asking about Eastbourne Pier

So Sorry.

The Eastbourne RNLI doesn't clearly say where their boathouse is but it seems unlikely to be on the pier as they managed to launch and fight the fire from the sea.

A report on the Eastbourne Lifeboat website indicates that if just one person had picked up a fire extinguisher and aimed it at the fire then the pier would have been saved. Unfortunately due to the nanny state we live in it would appear that all those a position to do something were busy leading the public to safety while the fire got out of control.

It seems arson is suspected in the Eastbourne Pier fire
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28610853

The reporters name is Piers Hopkirk.
Is this a wind up?

Quote: Voltman wrote in post #14

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The reporters name is Piers Hopkirk.
Is this a wind up?

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