Summerland Fire

A pictorial record spanning twenty minutes from start to end of the Summerland fire.The music is copyright of D.A.W.N Music also the slideshow is copyright

[@robertewilson4339]

As a survivor of the Summerland Fire, I can recall the almost unbelievable speed of the fire (and having at one point to head straight toward an advancing wall of flame in order to escape). The root cause of this disaster (as of other tragic disasters such as Titanic and Zeebrugge) was human error, first at the planning, then the operational stage. I'm happy to talk to anyone - survivor or otherwise - who wants to know more about this event.

[@bustakitayancey7261]

i would love to talk about it. it has been on my mind for quite some time now. I cannot believe this happened. RIP to the deceased and I'm so sorry to the survivors injured or not but special thoughts to everyone

[@jmgrant6881]

My best mate and I went to Douglas for 2 weeks the year before this tragic event. We went to the disco right at the bottom of Summerland. It was a great place to go to. RIP to all who perished. 🙏

[@xburk550]

Ahhhh.... romantic music and disaster. How lovely.

[@cicstommy]

Strange choice of music.

[@drbluzer]

Living in the U.S. , I don't recall hearing about this tragedy . My condolences to all those involved . I was the safety person at my work place and the one thing that I have always emphasized is " If you enter any building , know where the exits are !

[@MikeGreenwood51]

I watched a documentary about a sky scraper fire in the USA and after the burnt out shell was rebuilt the fire officer reported that the new building was safe. He did not explain why it was safe. But I can not imagine how a seventy floor building can be really safe in the USA. Not only is it seemingly impossible to get ladders there but there seems no emergency esxape rope ladders, shoots or absailing equipment. No zip line facilities. I can not see how a fire officer can state 'safe' with out evidence or when the evidence seems to indicate 'death trap, not safe. less than adyquate escape facilities. Hey but lets keep the shark beachs open as we need the money.

[@lordsnooty61]

I've researched this and the blame should be on the architects and those who allowed this monstrosity to be built --poorly designed, using inappropriate materials and without adequate alarms and basic emergency procedures. Also the manager of the place who failed to train his staff, carry out fire drills and even padlocked the emergency exits. These people should have done time for manslaughter, not the idiotic boys who started it.

[@TheMercury-13]

No-one served any time, the boys were fined a small amount to cover damage to the kiosk they'd broken into. Unbelievable this place was built & run as it was; I'd like to think never again but it seems some will always skimp or ignore fire regs. to save cash, & cuts to inspections havn't helped. Maybe Grenfell will change things :/

[@jonrose611]

The fire was burning for 30 minutes before anyone tried to evacuate the place or call the fire brigade.

[@cliffcook3993]

@@TheMercury-13 I believe the reason the boys were not more harshly punished was because they had not broken into the kiosk with the intention of setting it on fire but to have a sly smoke out of the view of adults they had not put out the cigs correctly and this is what caused the initial fire in the kiosk, however had the external walls been built with better materials such as brick or conventional concrete then the kiosk fire would not have been able to enter the building, and even if it had not been discovered would most likely just burned out. But also there was long delay between the fire discovery and calling the fire brigade, had the alarm been raised at this time and the building evacuated then although the building may have still been lost, it would have offered more time to evacuate in a more orderly fashion, which may have saved many injury's and the large loss of life.

[@frankmccormick1175]

the 1st couple of photos lool like they've been doctored, the smoke doesnt look real

[@horrortackleharry]

The three people in the foreground don't move a muscle over three photos....

[@cliffcook3993]

@@horrortackleharry It is very real there is some video of this tragic event here on you tube and it looks exactly the same, because of the way the oroglas that was used for the windows burned it gave off the toxic black smoke.

[@ricjuk]

Totally agree. Looks like a bad photoshop job.

[@MikeGreenwood51]

@@horrortackleharry At 1:22 in what looks like the third photo the seated male on the left has turned his head and is facing the middle person. Did you even look as that fack seems to disprove your statement that they never moved a muscle?

[@kathybarry2765]

This needs to be remembering..

[@hebneh]

Flammable materials installed vertically - so that a fire at the bottom will quickly grow upwards - are a sure step towards a disaster. It's happened elsewhere too, like this.

[@pepper669]

+hebneh It just happened in Dubai.

[@mrdojob]

And Grenfell

[@cliffcook3993]

I remember reading in the news papers of the time that the Oroglas was known to be be very combustible at the time in the US and where it was used in buildings Fire Drenching systems had to be installed to stop it caching light in the event of a fire.

[@PBayee34]

I never knew of this disaster until recently.

[@tracyyy99]

I have read a very interesting document of this event. The IOM Should be ashamed of themselves, 50+ people died being on holiday and it took 40 years for a proper memorial. Next, if they (architects, builders, council officials etc) had put in place proper fire protection eg sprinklers, then most probably, the people who died might have survived. This was a tragedy which was all the most appalling because of the speed of the initial fire based on the external material that was used...we will go on employing and allowing stuck up ignorant people who don't give a tosh for anybody but themselves at the expense of the death of others...this country is a shambles...now we have the latest appalling fire in London where untold people have once again died at the expense of others coffers...will we ever learn..IF IT HELPS TO SAVE AND PROTECT LIVES...BL%%DY INSTALL/FIT PUT IN PLACE...think of the worst thing that could happen, 10 times that, then act on it. It is very simple. It is interesting to note, that the kiosk that caused the initial fire should not have been on the crazy golf course, it was put there without permission, various pictures of summerland will show the kiosk in various positions before it was left against or near the main building.take this kiosk away...and you would not be reading this or watching the vid...food for thought.

[@SWATgonIBIZA]

Que en paz descansen todas las almas que ahí quedaron...😔

[@msbcheet6041]

So tragic and unnecessary. My heart goes out to the victims.

[@chrispaw1]

How can you drag out that one picture for so long?

[@rotonda4068]

Those three people weren't giving that bench up, were they?

[@cwtv1969cwtPfau]

if one of the 3 observers at 40 seconds would have made an emergency call instead of staring only - many peoples life might have been saved

[@tosh123UK]

The music is copyright of D.A.W.N Music also the slideshow is copyright

[@danielkilroy9337]

Hi Tosh, I am working on a Documentary and would like to use some of the images in this. Do you own the copyright to the images? If you can send me your contact details thatw ould be great. Thanks.

[@danielkilroy563]

Hi Tosh, Just chaisng this up again, do you own the images? As I would like to include them in a BBC Documentary we are making. Thanks

[@redredmane5544]

Dammit, that is PRECISELY why it is so IMPORTANT to teach your kids what can really HAPPEN when a person "GETS STUPID" with FIRE!!!!!

[@redredmane5544]

Two young boys ( maybe three ) started that inferno .... BY PLAYING WITH MATCHES!!! Just imagine the GUILT they will have to 'live with" for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!!! If only someone had TAUGHT them how DEADLY fire can be!!!

[@sirlars2005]

Redredmane M Of course children must be taught about the dangers of fire but I think it's unfair to blame the Summerland fire on those boys. They very well did burn down the outside kiosk. But this shouldn't have done much harm at all to the main building if it had been planned properly and using the proper materials! This disaster must be blamed on the greed and incompetence of adults, not on the boys... just my two cents...

[@redredmane5544]

No, sirlars, all THREE parties are EQUALLY responsible for that fire.

[@Tmuk2]

Rubbish - if you discard a match after lighting a cigarette you don't expect it to burn down a building and kill 50 people.

[@Tmuk2]

Rubbish - if you discard a match after lighting a cigarette you don't expect it to burn down a building and kill 50 people.

[@CathyKitson]

tbh I'm surprised only 50 died. It's a wonder anyone got out.

[@doglover3191]

My dad was on the prom that day with his mum

[@doglover3191]

Well he was in summer land with his mum then he left then it went on fire😮😬

[@doglover3191]

+Kelsie Moughtin he was ok cause he was quite far away

[@ricjuk]

The first two photos of the fire apparently just starting are obviously a really terrible photoshop job... Nice try.