A fire was reported at Blackpool Tower around 14:15 GMT, with visible flames coming from a metal section near the top of the landmark. A total of six fire engines and a “rope rescue” team from the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) immediately responded with Lancashire Police officers also arriving on the scene. Meanwhile, the tower’s visitors and staff were safely evacuated as LFRS urged people to stay away from the area due to possible “significant disruption”.
Although the Blackpool Tower Eye, the observation deck at the top of the tower, was not open to visitors, the iconic structure is of massive importance to Blackpool. As Adrian Mills, a local witness, expressed, it is “iconic for the whole town. You can tell by the number of people here. I have even had messages from friends in Canada about it.”
The Blackpool Tower, built between 1891 and 1894, is a Grade I listed building in Lancashire. Former Blackpool mayor Sir John Bickerstaffe was inspired by a trip to Paris in 1889, where he saw the city’s new Eiffel Tower, and decided to create a Lancashire version of it. Architects Maxwell and Tuke of Manchester designed and constructed the 519ft (158m) tower, which contains 2,493 tons of steel, 93 tons of cast iron, and over five million bricks.
The blaze occurred during the Storm Gerrit that caused flooding and travel disruption in the UK, with heavy rain and strong winds affecting north-west England. Investigations will continue regarding the cause of the fire. If you witnessed the event, contact HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk
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