Julie was 14, and identified by her jewellery. The building's exterior and the interior were designed by two different architectsthey did not coordinate their planning with each other and thereby created a venue with significant fire risks that were to become apparent only later. My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. OK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! Ricky Rooney, DouglasFor me, Summerland was the hub of all my childhood memories, I would be there at least 4 times a week. Marketed by Chrystals, Isle of Man Film: Pos - Sound: Mag SOF - Colour - NYFilm: No - LN Number: LN45368 - Available in HD Storyline Go to top Scenes of the aftermath of the Summerland Pleasure Complex fire Categories Go to top Locations: While many escaped the inferno unharmed, the incident claimed 50 lives and seriously injured 80. Bit by bit over the years things would start to disappear, until by the end there was only "Manxland" left, my son really enjoyed palying there with all his cousins & it was a great place for Mums to meet on a Saturday & have a coffee while the kids played, we did that for a lot of years. I've got used to passing the site & it not being there but from the boat, going in either direction it's still not the same. [13] The inscription on the 1998 disaster memorial did not give a death toll; its 2013 replacement lists all 50 names. His solution was to design an artificial centre of sunshine and it had to be spectacular enough to compete with the growing threat of cheap foreign holidays. Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. The decor made it look like a tropical fairyland in places with the waterfall which looked like it was tumbling into the building from where the cliff-face was at the rear of the building. (The comedian/presenter on stage made a remark about there being "a chip pan on fire"). With a year-round programme of shows and events, there's plenty of ENTERTAINMENT on offer at VillaGaiety. tracyI am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. Two years after its completion in 1971 the high tech promenade venue was the scene of devastation after a fire ripped through the building killing 50 people. The year before the fire we were taken to Summerland to watch a syncronised swimming display. For just over two years the centre attracted visitors from all over the world. Flora Mcintyre i remembr 1968-69 , I worked at White City on the Isle of Man , they were the eight best years of my life. 'We are keenly aware that the Castle Mona is a key heritage asset for the Isle of Man and extremely mindful of the great interest that the Manx public have in the property. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. Andy, LiverpoolAs kids we used to holiday in the Isle of Man either at port St Mary or Peel. We actually visited the Summerland on the day of the fire, I can remember the night of the fire, we were staying in a hotel on the opposite end of the prom, I was there with my cousin and our Mum's and Dad's had gone out for the evening. Summerland opened on 25 May 1971 and was designed to accommodate up to 10,000 tourists as one of the largest entertainment centres in the world. I still remember the screams and panic, they haunt me to this day. Tehachapi, CA, US. fire, which triggered a major change in fire regulations on the Island. The first occupants were hunter-gatherers and fishermen. "Excellent! We had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. The venue was designed to hold 10,000 people in five floors and included swimming. Summerland was a high tech leisure centre that was built in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, and opened in 1971. On the third attempt, my uncle's door came open and several others followed. The latter idea was eventually scrapped when it was discovered some of the birds were poisoning themselves by eating the plastic foliage. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. StuartI was 9 at the time of the Summerland fire and on holiday with my Mum and Dad staying at the Granada Hotel as we always did then. Although I remember when the fire happened (as a relative was working there that evening and thankfully survived), my happy memories are also quite vivid as I used to go there many times, especially during school holidays. Map. [19][20], On other anniversaries of the disaster many memorials take place, such as a memorial concert and a moment of silence at the location which is now a vacant site. I've just seen that picture of the pool with the rows of spectator seats and it brought it all back to me.I remember the next year when the fire happened because we were packing for our holiday to Anglesea when the news broke. You were certainly spoilt for choice - you could go swimming in 2 lovely new pools, rollerskate or play a multitude of sports in the massive sports hall, moonwalk in a big white type of enclosed bouncy castle (which like everything in there had a distinctive new smell). Custom Mountain home in Tehachapi CA.-2 hrs from LA or 2 hrs from Central Coast. Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. The average house price in Summerland, Ramsey, Isle of Man IM8 is . I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. The complex The fire started at around 7:30p.m. on 2 August 1973 when approximately 3,000 people were inside,[5] and was caused by three boys who were smoking in a small disused kiosk,[6] on the centre's miniature golf course[7] and who told police it was likely started by a carelessly discarded match or stub. We would spend alot of time up there because of the pool and because they could keep and eye on us and have a drink at the same time. jilliani loved summerland it was amazing the play area and the skating the swim baths and all shame the way things went, WAYNE FORDHI, I PLAYED THE SUMMERLAND DISCO WITH MY BAND 'ROCOCO' THE YEAR BEFORE THE FIRE,I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS 'ROCOCO' I HAVE SOME VERY FOND MEMORIES OF MY TIME THERE, I HAVE VISITED THE ISLAND ONCE SINCE THEN,QUITE BY CHANCE IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE THE DEMOLITION TOOK PLACE,BUT I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY GOODBYE. Latest Truck Driver Job Vacancies in Canada in 2022: A certified truck driver is qualified to use for every one of the work placements around right here. of 1971. The transparent roof was composed of 6 ft acrylic bronze-tinted sheets so that the natural light filtering through would appear like golden rays. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. This part of the building was clad in a material called Galbestos: profiled steel sheeting with asbestos felt on both sides coated with bitumen,[5][8] with no fire-resistant qualities. I was one of the worst things that has ever happened on our small Island and none of us will ever forget the event. Add Your Event View All 04 March Saturday Manx Amateur Drama Federation Coffee Morning View 10:00 - 12:00 Current Weather 9 4 03 March Friday 8 4 Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. My Uncle and several other "big chaps" hurled themselves against the fire doors to break them down. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. This, coupled with the constant sirens of emergency vehicles, is what made this the worst night of my life. I was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. The fire exits - clear glass ones, all in a row - were locked which I guessed afterwards was to prevent people paying for access to one area and then going to the other as well. dotty kiddI was 17 and was working there at the time of the fire, it was total panic, the fire spread so fast and no body could get out due to the doors being locked, I managed to get my friend away safely but with all the panic going on around I ended up in a daze, I dont know how I got out but remember someone pulling me, I got out befor the first explosion went off. construction of a swimming pool, which was completed in 1969. I was 5 at the time. At 8:00 p.m. on 2 August 1973, Summerland, a leisure centre on the Isle of Man as shown in Figure 1, was seen to be on fire. Phase I was the The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. We crossed onto the promenade via a walkway which crossed the road, I think. 05 Apr 2023 - 16 Apr 2023. panels dropping in flames onto the ground and I guess, people below. My uncle saw someone he knew from our home town (Widnes) whose hotel was closer than ours, and he was able to phone family at home to say we were OK just as the story was coming on the news.We were all OK, apart from my uncle's cracked ribs from charging at the fire door, but the horror of the evening is still with me such that even lighting a candle is something I struggle to do and I always check out fire exits when I'm somewhere new. The fire spread to the wall's interior soundproofing material, which was highly combustible, causing an intense fire that ignited the flammable acrylic sheeting that covered the rest of the building. Its charred steel skeletal remains were demolished in 1975 and then rebuilt on a smaller scale, construction commencing in 1976, with a smaller area of glass than the original, and a highly advanced fire extinguisher and alarm system. The site was acquired by Douglas Corporation in 1964 and Situated only a few minutes walk to the beach, harbour, shops and public transport. A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street. My legs went like jelly and the next thing I knew, flames shot up the sides of the windows. janice gale from dreghorn scotlandI was 13 when summerland went on fire i still remember that night clearly my mum and i had told my dad that we were going to summerland while he went to the villa marine to watch wrestling but just before the bus stopped we changed our mind and went to white city we had just got into white city when we were told summerland was on fire we had to walk all the way round onchan to get back to the prom its a scene you will never forget seeing people jumping into the sea to get away from the flames even when we came home on the boat your were reminded again as we had to wait until all the coffins were taken of first as a mark of respect. Then with my children to manxland,their first birthday parties, my sisters-in-laws fashion shows & watching cousin's children do ballroom dancing & they're just a handfull of memories!Summerland was a one off & while the Villa Marina is a part of our islands history & heritage, there will never be another place like Summerland - it's in a league of it's own. My mum eventually took me and my sisters and I couldn't believe how new and lovely everything was. This was on the 2nd floor. Behind the stage was the huge rock face. [9] The centre was seriously damaged by the fire. 4. vs damage to building. When we finally reached the bottom the firemen were there to guide us out and just as we got outside, the whole place was engulfed by fire. people screaming and trying to escape, one boy broke a window with a microphone stand. Douglas Corporation, aided by grants from the Isle of Man Government, spent 1.5 million on the building and more cash was provided by The International Trust House Forte group who had taken Summerland LTD on as a subsidiary. I lost a couple of pals in the fire. It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. Catherine WoodhouseI was 9 and on holiday with my Mum, brother and Uncle Peter (Mum's brother), the aim of the holiday being to give Mum a break after my Dad had died following a long illness. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. Then with my children to manxland,their first birthday parties, my sisters-in-laws fashion shows & watching cousin's children do ballroom dancing & they're just a handfull of memories!Summerland was a one off & while the Villa Marina is a part of our islands history & heritage, there will never be another place like Summerland - it's in a league of it's own. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) We went back when they rebuilt it but it didn't have the same atmosphere & at first people almost seemed to be looking over their shoulders as if they were waiting for something to happen, it was strange. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On August 2, 1973, at about 20.00, a fire in a kiosk close to Summerland, Isle of Man, started a conflagration and caused the death of 50 people. Those were the days. The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world and its state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map. My parents had been to the site of the fire thinking I was in there as I had been all week. The burnt out remains of the centre in September 1973, one month after the fire. Find average house prices, current average values, other historic property data & request a valuation from an estate agent. JacquiI remember winning a talent contest at Summerland when I was 6 years old.We went to the IOM every year for our summer holidays. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. We were there the night before the fire, we just thatought the "moving staircase" by the front door was the best thing ever. seeing many bodies, young people burned beyond recognition Brings back great memories of times spent on the island. I WILL RETURN AS THERE IS A KIND OF MAGIC ATTRACTION ABOUT THE ISLAND,I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER 'THE GEM IN THE IRISH SEA' WAYNE FORD, Moonwalk,rollerskating & swimming, just 3 of the things that kept myself, my brother & cousins entertained for hours. I will never forget the screams and people climbing over each other to get out. I remember the music and noise of people just enjoying themselves. Located in the heart of Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, the complex was a landmark of the island, offering a wide range of attractions for both locals and visitors alike. It was an example of Modernist architecture incorporating advanced controlled internal climate, built with novel construction techniques using new plastic materials. carol burnsI survived that terrible disaster. The plans took years to finalise. It bears the names of those killed in the fire and is set into a circle of paving, alongside a stone laid earlier to mark the 25th anniversary. FOR SALE! Kayti Summerland signed up 2022-08-04 22:08:04 -0400. [10], Because of the locked fire doors, many people headed to the main entrance, which caused a crush.[9]. I was so sad when the tragedy happened and still feel sad when I drive past the now empty site. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. This was on the 2nd floor. NOTHING! There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. I worked in Summerland a week before it burnt down. Location Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland Geographic coordinates 54 15 N, 4 30 W Map references Europe Area total: 572 sq km land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km country comparison to the world: 193 Area - comparative slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries total: 0 km Coastline After a geotechnical team determined that the blocks could not be safely stabilised or removed, and that there was a risk they would fall into the buildings below, the site was scheduled for demolition. The survivor and her mother were separated from her father and sister and stuck in the venue before being rescued through a window by firemen. There were two phases in the building Outside its raining yet here you are relaxed in your shirt sleeves, gently perspiring in a tropical 80 degrees.. panels dropping in flames onto the ground and I guess, people below. Summerland. My Uncle and several other "big chaps" hurled themselves against the fire doors to break them down. Just then I distinctly remember seeing a small flicker of light at the base of the building on the West side thinking it was someone with a torch or something, as it was getting dusky. We spent alot of time in Summerland it was a great venue for all the family. Nicole SmithThe queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. Behind the stage was the huge rock face. Summerland was fulfilling its promise of taking Manx tourism into the future. JaxuttonOK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! Ian Phillips of Birmingham University suggests these reporting discrepancies explain why some sources have given incorrect death tolls of 49, 51, or 53. Meanwhile a group of three school boys on holiday from Liverpool was hanging around at the back of the building next to a section of a dismantled fibre-glass kiosk. 5. vs burned out building. Looking at the picture of the pool makes me sad!! As kids we used to holiday in the Isle of Man either at port St Mary or Peel. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. It was so colourful and had such a happy and relaxed atmosphere. (en) dbo:thumbnail [12] The fire brigade's provisional total of 51 deaths at the scene was subsequently revised down to 48, and two others died in hospital, one in Douglas on 11 August and the other in Scotland on 29 September; the latter is excluded from the Isle of Man coroner's list of 49 deaths. I remember seeing below us musicians from the group who had been on stage swimming across the learner pool, one of them with his guitar. In the summer everyone enjoyed the talent competitions which were great fun. on arrival above somerland we couldnt beleve the whole building was an infurno (just where we would have been had we not been delayed)we left the site not beleving such a tragity could be hapening to those poor people,and by the grace of god spared us.with the passing of time and no disrespect to those who loved ones perished or were injured i beleve that summerland was a fabulous venue of the time and should be under another name be reserected for the people of the island and visitors alike,the past is the past and nothing can remain a stain of the building/archetects or goverment who built it in good faith and by unforcene events that happend.the island needs a new complex to invest in tourisem and for the island people to enjoy in these hard days ahead bring life back to the island as it was before the doom and gloom merchants moved in.being a stopover from the late 60s and with three children who were born here i personaly would like to see an indoor complex such as summerland revived. John McGimpseyI was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. While children were entertained in the theatre, parents could relax upstairs. I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. Summerland was an odd mix of styles: one half light, airy and modern; the other windowless and concrete. In June of 1832, Cholera arrived on the Isle of Man. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. There was a charming wooden see saw, slide and roundabout. I'll never forget the tragedy and the emptiness we felt after that horrific day. It was my last night on the IOM with my BB Company from N Ireland. Demolition of the site from Oct 2005. The centre reopened in June 1978. We felt at the time that it was the beginning of the good times here on the Isle of Man. Now I have my own kids of my age at the time of the disaster, I know why. I was 7 and on holiday with family,that inluded aunts,uncles and cousins.A lot of us had been holdaying in Douglas that week and we spent a lot of time in Summerland.It was a great place to spend the day.It had all the ammenities ,everything you wanted was there,a funfare ,indoor heated swimming pool,indoor amusement arcade.It had bars,a disco's everything.On the night of the fire, we just finished our evening meal in our hotel and we began walking up Douglas promenade ,going towards Summerland,when we noticed smoke billowing up from behind the building,the next instant the entire building was engulfed in flames.I remember seeing people pouring out of the building,some were on fire,it was horrific.We were standing some distance away and I could not take my eyes off it.The explosions from the burning building boomed across Douglas bay.I had never seen so many injured people before and it is something that I wll never forget.The following morning we all cut our holiday short and returned home,as the ferry was leaving Douglas we all stood on the boat deck ,staring at the burnt out shell of Summerland.Have never been back to IOM since that terrible fire. The Manx Development Corporation is part of the strategy for realizing economic, social and environmental benefits through enabling full utilization of government owned land and property assets and acting as a catalyst for regeneration and repurposing of urban and brownfield sites. CLOSED COMPLETELY! The concept was so radical that architect Geoffrey Ellis came to the Island to work for Mr The lower floors were geared towards children and teenagers, with a disco, fairground. My uncle saw someone he knew from our home town (Widnes) whose hotel was closer than ours, and he was able to phone family at home to say we were OK just as the story was coming on the news.We were all OK, apart from my uncle's cracked ribs from charging at the fire door, but the horror of the evening is still with me such that even lighting a candle is something I struggle to do and I always check out fire exits when I'm somewhere new. The Summerland leisure complex in the Isle of Man, a popular tourist destination for many years, closed its doors for the last time in 2018. A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street.