140 years of history destroyed: Eastbourne Pier reduced to a shell by massive blaze (UK)

Daily Mail UK ^ | 30 July 2014 | Richard Spillett, eon Watson, Dan Bloom,Sam Webb

[Lorianne]

Eastbourne Pier was gutted by a fire believed to have started in wall panelling, sparking a blaze which ripped through the iconic building in East Sussex.

Six fire crews and a lifeboat were called to the scene, which has been documented by onlookers posting photographs on Twitter.

Pictures show onlookers watching thick black smoke rising up from the pier and its building. There have been no reports of injuries.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said on its website: 'We were alerted at 15.13 on 30 July 2014 to reports of a small fire - believed to be in wall panelling - in a part of the pier housing arcade games.'

[Lorianne]

[Stentor]

Why is there a photographer wearing a Jake Plummer shirt? That’s a violation.

[Major Matt Mason]

Was this featured in the Quadrophenia movie, or was that one of the other ones that burned down? They've had a few pier fires in the past decade or so.

[Moltke]

Now there’s space to build another mosque.