Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has been mobilised to a fire at the partially demolished arcade on Ventnor Esplanade this evening (Tuesday).
Several appliances are responding to the seafront where black smoke can be seen billowing from the former Gaiety Amusement arcade.
A strong sea breeze is blowing the acrid smoke inland and up into the town.
The fire began just before 17:55 – and around 15 minutes after an individual was seen to enter the building by a witness.
UPDATE @ 18:27 – 2 appliances from Ventnor and Shanklin are currently on scene, utilising jets to tackle the blaze.
Further appliances – including an Aerial Ladder Platform from Ryde – are en-route with the incident quickly being scaled up.
UPDATE @ 19:20 – The Aerial Leader Platform has been raised with 2 firefighters tackling the blaze from above. Other jets are being established around the building.
The fire has, sadly, engulfed what remains of the arcade – thought to be protected and much-loved Victorian architecture.
Appliances from Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown, Ryde, Newport, East Cowes and Cowes are on scene alongside water carriers from Ventnor and Freshwater.
An operational commander from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service has also responded to the incident, with an ambulance crew to be placed on standby to provide safety cover for fire crews.
UPDATE @ 20:10 – A total of 6 pumping appliances, 2 water carriers, an aerial ladder platform and the Incident Command Unit are now in attendance, alongside several Police officers.
Group Manager James Lucy has described this evening’s fire as significant and says that efforts are ongoing to contain and extinguish the blaze.
A cause has yet to be identified.
More than 2 hours after the fire began smoke is still billowing up the hillside – but crews do appear to be making progress.
Esplanade has been closed and members of the public are being directed to keep to the beach. Access remains to La Falaise car park from the southern end.
UPDATE @ 21:45 – As darkness falls, firefighters continue to tackle the fire with more resources deployed to the scene.
Water is now being sourced from the nearby paddling pool and Cascade using portable pumping equipment.
UPDATE @ 23:55 – Island Roads have now implemented an emergency road closure which spans between Hambrough Road thought to The Spyglass Inn.
Gas enginers from SGN and electrical engineers from Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks are now on the scene at Ventnor Esplanade.
Additional fire officers have been called upon from across the water and the 2 Island-stationed Hampshire fire appliances have now been crewed by Hampshire-based firefighters.
The Incident Support Unit from East Cowes has been mobilised to provide additional equipment, with the fire service’s workshop mechanics also called out to refuel appliances and make sure things are in order.
2 water carriers are being used to shuttle water from Ventnor Industrial Estate down to the fire ground, meanwhile, crews continue to pump water from the paddling pool and Cascade.
The Esplanade remains closed to both vehicles and pedestrians, however, the beach does remain open for foot traffic.
Firefighters are likely to remain on the scene until first light with investigations getting underway to determine the cause of the fire later on into Wednesday.
Police also remain on scene alongside the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service.
UPDATE @ 00:30 – A 360 digger, used for the demolition of the surrounding buildings, is now being utilised to bring down sections of the historic structure that has now been destroyed by fire.
Some of the appliances are now standing down, and returning to their home stations.
UPDATE WEDNESDAY @ 08:00 – The fire has been extinguished and investigations are to get underway into the cause of the blaze.
Read more at https://www.islandecho.co.uk/investigation-into-arcade-blaze-to-get-underway-after-9-hour-firefighting-battle/.
Don’t miss another story! Get the Island’s latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
Well I am sure we are all shocked at this news…… Shocked that it never happened months/years ago. Was so inevitable wasn’t it!
If that’s not an insurance job I don’t know what is!!!
Bored state kept yobs most likely, or an insurance job to get in quick to turn into flats before the property boom ends this year?
Next week planning permission for houses or flats watch this space
That is what is going to be, planning already sorted
Apart from the smoke I smell an insurance job, funny how it is planned to be turned into a luxury home apparently. I think the island has the highest proportion of “accidental” fires in old buildings. Funny that.
Possible brain-dead idiot arsonist, that wanted paying for its next fix, Insurance job gone wrong….we live in desperate times and some will gamble with their freedom..
Shame. Still, that’s one way to clear the site so the owner can now build some benefit hutches and make a few bob. Coincidence?
Interesting viewing: Isle of Wight.com Webcam Ventnor Esplanade (date 07/06/2022) at time 17.50 and 30 seconds… …then first signs of smoke at 17.52 and 31 seconds… …pure coincidence surely???
Does anyone know why they can’t use seawater rather than pumping it from the paddling pool?
Probably bored teenagers again unfortunately!!!! Such a shame !! Another piece of history gone !!!
I have never really understood why several police officers get deployed to a fire yet when you have a burglary you struggle to get 1 police officer to turn up.
After the sudden up surge in the amount of hotel fires, it does seem that older architecture is being targeted, either there is a victoriana burning mafia or we have a lone arsonist thats brought himself here with some matches, not sure about the mafia bit but the lone arsonist fits the bill, the druggie scenario sounds like the sweeny, we seemingly have an arsonist and a fly tipper here, not gangs of arsonists and flytippers, although our flytipper may have gone back to the mainland as we’ve not had beauty spots contaminated in a while, shame no description of the person entering the arcade, they could be behind all the arson attacks..
There’s more money in flats than Victorian buildings, even refurbished ones. especially when an insurance company has paid for them to be built
If you have a news story that you think we should know about, then get in touch.
You can also now send us Anonymous Tip-Offs.
Island Echo is a member of the Independent Community News Network and the Society of Editors.