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'Open mind' over Grand blaze cause
THE cause of a massive blaze at a Blackpool holiday development remains a mystery.
Flames tore through the Grand Hotel Holiday Flats and Paris Casino in South Shore on July 27.
Station Road was closed last week after high winds made the fire-ravaged building potentially unsafe.
After the blaze, police and fire chiefs said the cause was suspicious and sent off various items from the site for forensic analysis.
The results have now come back, but still remain inconclusive.
Det Insp Frank Walmsley, leading the investigation, said: "I'm still keeping an open mind on the cause of the fire. We did send of various items but haven't had anything back. The trouble with fires is they tend to destroy any evidence.
"They can be started by a million different things such as the electrics or a discarded cigarette.
"It doesn't have to be someone in a hooded top maliciously starting it with a box of matches."
Firefighters were called to the scene of the fire after customers at the Paris Casino next door saw flames through the windows of the building.
More than 200 neighbours were evacuated and an emergency resource centre was opened at Palatine Leisure Centre on St Annes Road for those left homeless.
It eventually took firefighters three days to fully extinguish the rubble.
Investigators moved in and an arson probe was launched at the site, culminating in sending evidence to the police lab for analysis.
Following the police investigation at the site, building control experts decided the wreckage of the building was dangerous and had to come down.
Demolition crews brought in a 160 tonne crane, which worked in high winds and extreme weather conditions to make the area safe.
They also had to remove three mobile phone masts, which had been sited on top of the building.
Phone companies Orange, Vodafone and 3 have since made alternative arrangements, including boosting the signal from other masts and installing a temporary mast.
A Blackpool Council spokesman added: "The Grand Hotel has now been returned to the owners but the casino front elevation is still potentially unsafe, especially considering the current weather conditions, particularly the high winds.
"We're working to reopen roads as soon as possible but public safety is always our primary concern.
"There are still a handful of residents who cannot return to their homes owing to water damage."
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Weather for Blackpool
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
