SUMMERLAND FIRE DISASTER - 2nd AUGUST 1973
Read Les Quayles account on the BBC website by clicking here
Les was the Officer in Charge of the first fire appliance to attend Summerland that evening.
To view a twenty second movie clip of the Summerland Fire Disaster taken
from Strathallan Road in Onchan - click here this clip is courtesy of Mr Ken Blackburn.
Picture taken from the bottom of Summerhill.
Picture 1
The biggest incident that the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service has ever dealt with.

 

Picture taken from Strathallan Road, Onchan.

Picture 2
Two days after - A scene of total devastation in which 51 people perished.
 
On 2nd August 1973 at 19.40 hrs some boys accidentally set fire to a dismantled kiosk at the Summerland Leisure complex on Douglas promenade.  At 20.01 hrs central fire control in John Street received a 999 call from Duggans radio cabs informing the fire service that the Summerland Leisure Complex on Douglas Promenade was on fire. The sequence of events that followed this tragic fire have been well published in the past but needless to say 51 people perished in this fire and it is the worst British peace time disaster involving fire since 1929.

On 3rd September 1973 the Lieutenant Governor appointed a Commission of Enquiry into the Summerland disaster and the enquiry lasted until February 1974.  The Commission urged the immediate revision of Theatre Regulations and drastically changed the whole approach to fire safety on the Isle of Man.
Please Note: These pictures have been added to our website due to a large amount of requests to do so from people all over the world that in one way or another were involved in the Summerland fire disaster. The pictures are reality and form part of the history of the Isle of Man and indeed the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service.  The pictures are in no way intended to offend anyone however if they do offend please let us know.
 

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