Blackpool Prom re-opens after blaze chaos

The road was shut between Springfield Road and Bank Hey Street following the incident at the North Beach Hotel in North Shore.

At its height 40 firefighters were involved in the operation to battle the flames.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Monday.

The owner of the property reported hearing a loud bang and seeing sparks from the main electrical panel.

The main gas inlet to the property ruptured and ignited.

The location of both, in the basement of the building, made fighting the fire difficulty.

The gas main burned until the supply was isolated at around 5am on Monday.

The morning rush hour was severely affected by the closure of the Promenade with major delays along alternative routes.

The Promenade is now open with temporary lights in place close to the scene of the blaze.