Moderator: deelieta
Hiya Catmad, sadly the Pwllheli fire was the worst ever experienced at Butlins. It was actually two enormous-two storey buildings about 40 feet apart and the space between them was roofed to form an arcade-an enormous tunnel if you like, between the two buildings. Going into the 'tunnel'from South Camp, 1st building on the right,was a hairdressers shop, behind that was a large, typical games room, billiards, ping pong, darts. Next were offices and above was the hostess office and store room. Then the Entertainment offices, behind which was the 2,000 seater main theatre. Next was a big shopping centre. Opposite was an enormous coffee bar, grill room, where the fire started. Next door was the largest Blinking Owl bar on any camp, below that was another coffee bar, under the Playhouse theatre. Above all those venues and occupying the entire upper floor was the main ballroom. Five fire engines were at the fire, but nothing could save it. I was the Ents' Manager at the time and, with the Redcoats, responsible for clearing the campers cars off the theatre car park. I reported some screaming coming from inside the building to the Chief Fire Officer, who I knew, and he said it was the 12 ins iron girders that were twisting and bending and causing a screaming noise!!.. The fire was caused because a young student left a hamburger grill on. with a plastic container of oil, the plastic melted and Bingo!!! Some campers going home from Late Night Cabaret saw the flames and smashed a window, but when they got in they realised the fire was too fierce so they smashed another window to get out and created a 'through draught'. All the facilities were moved around and we carried on the next day, we didn't lose a customer!! Rocky.catmad wrote:was there a fire there too?, was it as big as the one at skeggy in 74?
my happiest has to be my first season as a red at ayr in 79. the feeling of putting on the red and whites for the first time was something that will stay in my heart, forever.
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