I was in the palace Hotel when it went up and i was 9 and jumping to go to Summerland, i heard a fire bell and my dad joked, oh there's summerland on fire, i ran to the window and saw a small fire at the side of the building, i said to my dad it is on fire and everyone in the restaurant come over to look out the window, 2 minutes after i first looked the whole place looked on fire. I never saw anything like it before or since.
40 years, and i will never forget, i was there with my friend billy dodd, and my mum and dad, who were downstairs in the bar, we were on the top floor playing table tennis, when the events unfolded, there was another couple there who left leaving billy and i and the attendant who came over to say he was going to see what was happening, never returned! we only just made it out thanks to my dad running up to get us, yes the fire escapes were chained up to stop people bunking in! never forget!
I was on the second floor from the top when the fire broke out and was fortunate to escape with burns that could be treated at outpatients. However, I had to head straight toward the advancing flames to make it out to the side terracing. The plastic coat I was wearing had practically melted and was bloodstained (but not my blood). I can verify many details of the disaster and am more than willing to share these or enter into discussion with anyone who has questions or indeed survived.
What was the atmosphere like just before you knew something was wrong? What was the first indication of a problem? Why did you survive whilst others perished?
I was there the day before, I vividly remember the 'Discoteque' and I recall chains on the doors at the back of the building even though I was just a kid.
I was 7 years of age and on holiday there with family,auntie's,uncle's,cousin's etc.We were all on a weeks hoiday and spent a lot of time in the Summerland,on the night of the fire ,we were all walking up Douglas promenade,going to the Summerland,when we noticed smoke billowing up from beind the Summerland,within minutes the building was engulfed in flames.I could not take my eyes off it ,wathing the full horror of it.If anyone else wittnessed it, please get in touch.
My late uncle was a sales representative for Oroglass and I remember this well. He was shattered by this and I think he never recovered from the effect it had on him and our family.
40 years next year ... its about time there was a prominent memorial built on the promenade naming all those that lost there lives in this terrible tragedy. Having just come back from a few days holiday on the IOM which was our first trip back since the week of the Summerland fire... I was very moved that they had left part of the structure but disappointingly only found a little plaque in the nearby gardens. That's NOT good enough ... we need a proper memorial !!!
I was 11 when this happened. I was practicing with the Douglas Youth Band in the Art School when someone came in and told us of the fire. Needless to say the practice was halted, and being the ghoulish things that kids are we went to the prom for a skeet. A few years later I discovered that the father of a girl I was seeing had helped to ferry the casualties to the hospital in his car.
i was 16 with my parents, we were in onchan watching the stock cars and my sister and friend had gone to Summerland instead. luckily they had already come out. we could see the smoke from the stadium which is right behind it. bob
I'm currently trying to find all information as possible and from people's reactions it was big... And I hope for anyone that was involved and made it is alright and that I hope it doesn't stay in your head forever.
From reading elsewhere, no proper apologies were given to the victims families and survivors, compensation was meagre, and no-one or organisation was made accountable for this tragedy. It was only recently that a memorial was put up. And as seen with Grenfell it's still happening.
Hi, I'am researching stock footage for a documentary project on the Summerland Fire. Are you, or do you know of, the original owner of this footage? Would be great to hear from you.
I was born in 2006 and I’ve been wanting someone to buy summer land and make it again... Isle of Man like nocking things down...I’m surprised they haven’t knocked down the gaiety theatre I hope they don’t.
I spent alot of time in summerland playing basketball in the 90's. But out of respect for the people who died there, it should have been demolished instead of refurbished in my opinion.
The fire started by 3 kids who were smoking in a kiosk. The kiosk collapsed into a wall that lit up instantly. It was a real '70's building. Lot of plastics and nobody heard of fire-safety before... I.e. the whole front and roof were made of acrylic plates. It caught fire and started burning drops falling down, setting new fires and injuring people underneath it. And to prevent non-paying-visitors to entre the building, they locked the fire-exits... In the mayhem, 50 people died and 80 were serious injured...
