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$100,000.00"s lost in pier fire
£100,000 in coins lost to pier infernoUp to £100,000 in cash is thought to have been melted and mangled in the blaze which destroyed the pavilion at Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier.
See also: Weston tourist trade may go up in smoke
Blaze at Grand Pier in Weston
Some coins have been washed ashore, sparking a treasure hunt among holidaymakers. But most are thought to be lost forever, adding to the loss suffered by owners of the 104-year-old pier following this week’s blaze.
Police today enforced a 300-yard exclusion zone around the pier to stop people searching for coins, many of which had been in the pier’s 370 slot machines. Firefighters say the fire left most coins melted or fused together.
But the pier’s safes, rumoured to contain £200,000, are believed to have survived the 1,000C blaze, although no-one has reached them to confirm that the contents are intact.
Weston-super-Mare fire station manager Malcolm Jenkins spoke out after rumours circulated that pound coins had fallen onto the beach from the pier, sparking a “treasure hunt”.
The pier is being patrolled around the clock by police and private security guards.
Mr Jenkins said: “Some of the coins inside the machines would have melted, some would have stuck together depending on where they were.
“The safes are intact, and one has fallen though the floor and is suspended on the support underneath the pier. But none of the safes have fallen into the sea.
“We strongly recommend that no-one speculates about money falling into the sea and gets the idea they can go along and pick up money. There is nothing there.
“The structure of the pier is extremely hazardous.”
Seventy of the machines destroyed in the fire had been added in recent months as part of an improvement scheme being carried out by the pier’s new owners, brother and sister Kerry and Michelle Michael.
The Michaels have been unable to confirm how much money would have been held in the machines. However, one former arcade manager said the figure could have been as high as ÂŁ100,000.
kenb
£100,000 in coins lost to pier infernoUp to £100,000 in cash is thought to have been melted and mangled in the blaze which destroyed the pavilion at Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier.
See also: Weston tourist trade may go up in smoke
Blaze at Grand Pier in Weston
Some coins have been washed ashore, sparking a treasure hunt among holidaymakers. But most are thought to be lost forever, adding to the loss suffered by owners of the 104-year-old pier following this week’s blaze.
Police today enforced a 300-yard exclusion zone around the pier to stop people searching for coins, many of which had been in the pier’s 370 slot machines. Firefighters say the fire left most coins melted or fused together.
But the pier’s safes, rumoured to contain £200,000, are believed to have survived the 1,000C blaze, although no-one has reached them to confirm that the contents are intact.
Weston-super-Mare fire station manager Malcolm Jenkins spoke out after rumours circulated that pound coins had fallen onto the beach from the pier, sparking a “treasure hunt”.
The pier is being patrolled around the clock by police and private security guards.
Mr Jenkins said: “Some of the coins inside the machines would have melted, some would have stuck together depending on where they were.
“The safes are intact, and one has fallen though the floor and is suspended on the support underneath the pier. But none of the safes have fallen into the sea.
“We strongly recommend that no-one speculates about money falling into the sea and gets the idea they can go along and pick up money. There is nothing there.
“The structure of the pier is extremely hazardous.”
Seventy of the machines destroyed in the fire had been added in recent months as part of an improvement scheme being carried out by the pier’s new owners, brother and sister Kerry and Michelle Michael.
The Michaels have been unable to confirm how much money would have been held in the machines. However, one former arcade manager said the figure could have been as high as ÂŁ100,000.
kenb
