24 dramatic pictures of the blaze which destroyed Fleetwood Pier 15 years ago including the aftermath and demolition

It was September 9th 2008 and residents awoke to see huge plumes of smoke and 70ft flames leaping from the Edwardian attraction.

Despite the efforts of more than 70 firefighters, the historic boardwalk was completely engulfed. Water was pumped from the sea and nearby boating lake, while aerial ladders and high powered jets were used.

But it was all in vain as by 8am the pier had been transformed into a tangled mess of twisted metal and burnt out buildings. Within a few weeks the site had been demolished and cleared and despite efforts to redevelop the site, it remains untouched. These pictures are sad reminder of what happened and how events unfolded...

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