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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Jason Evans

The sad scenes at Mumbles Pier a month after the devastating fire

A month on from the devastating fire at Mumbles pier and the loss of a much-loved part of Swansea's history is laid bare.

At the height of the blaze on August 31 fire crews from Morriston, Tumble, Swansea, Port Talbot, Neath, Carmarthen and as far a field as Cardigan were on the scene. The fire ripped through the former Cinderella's nightclub and the adjoining Copperfish restaurant but firefighters were able to stop the flames spreading to the nearby amusement arcade and to the pier itself.

Speaking after the blaze Fred and Bert Bollom, the third generation of the Bollom family to own the landmark pier complex, said they were "completely devastated" at the damage done and said they were thankful nobody had been injured. They praised the response of their staff and the emergency services who they said went "above and beyond" in dealing with the incident.

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As these new photographs show, Cinderella's - a popular haunt for generations of the young and young at heart - has been swept away as demolition and clean-up work at the site continue.

The legendary Cinderella's nightclub has been razed (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
A month on since the fire, and a chapter of Swansea's history has gone (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Work at the site continues (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

A joint fire service and police investigation into the fire subsequently found it was an accident caused by the ignition of waste or refuse linked to the renovation of the building and there was no evidence it was was a "deliberate or reckless" act. The heartache for owners and staff was compounded just days after the fire when thieves apparently broke into the site and stole scrap metal and alcohol from behind the bar of the gutted restaurant.

Police and fire crews were called to the pier just after 11am on August 31, and for hours thick black smoke could be seen drifting over Swansea Bay. Firefighters spent hours tackling the blaze before making the gutted buildings safe. The task of clearing the site then began. You can read more stories about Mumbles here.

The blaze at its height by Mumbles Pier (South Wales Police)
The ruins of Cinderella’s and Copperfish after the fire ripped through the buildings (Adrian White Photography)
Fred and Bert Bollom inside the gutted Copperfish restaurant following the blaze (Adrian White Photography)

Mumbles pier first opened to the public in May, 1898, and quickly became a hit with day trippers to the village, many of whom arrived on the Swansea and Mumbles railway. Attractions including a camera obscura, bandstand, and ballroom have come and gone over the years but it remained a popular spot for visitors and locals alike.

The Bollom family leased the site in 1934 before buying it in 1960 when the railway closed. The much-loved Cinderella's nightclub shut its doors for good in early 2006 but retains its place in Swansea folklore.

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