Here at this vacant site, a holiday dream turned into the darkest day in Manx history. This is the story of Summerland. Opened in May 1971, Summerland leisure centre was billed as the world’s most innovative indoor entertainment centre. It could accommodate up to 10,000 tourists.
Summerland boasted restaurants and bars. It also had an indoor heated swimming pool, saunas, a children’s theatre and an underground disco. This climate-controlled building covered 3.5 acres on Douglas’s waterfront. It had 50,000 square feet of floor area. Summerland cost two million pounds to construct.
However, significant fire risks were overlooked. The building’s exterior and interior were designed by different architects. They did not coordinate their planning. The street frontage and part of the roof were clad in Oroglas. This was a transparent acrylic glass sheeting.
Tragedy struck on August 2nd, 1973. Approximately 3,000 people were inside Summerland. At around 7:30 p.m., a fire started. Three boys were smoking in a small disused kiosk. A carelessly discarded match likely started it.
The burning kiosk collapsed against the exterior of Summerland. The fire spread to the wall’s interior soundproofing material. It was highly combustible. The fire ignited the flammable acrylic sheeting. This covered the rest of the building. The acrylic material melted. Burning molten material dropped, starting other fires. It also injured those trying to escape.
There was no attempt to evacuate until the flames were visible. A panic-stricken rush for the exits ensued. The fire destroyed the wiring of the fire alarm system. Locked fire doors led many to the main entrance, causing a crush.
The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes. The first call came from a passing taxi driver. Another came from a ship’s captain two miles offshore. He radioed HM Coastguard saying the Isle of Man appeared to be on fire.
The Summerland disaster took the lives of 50 people. Many were under the age of 20. Around 80 people were seriously injured. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz.
A public inquiry condemned the use of flammable materials. The delay in evacuation was also criticized. The inquiry’s report described the fire as a holocaust. It engulfed the roof within 10 minutes. No specific individuals or groups were blamed. The deaths were attributed to misadventure.
After the Summerland disaster, changes to building regulations improved fire safety.
The charred remains of Summerland were demolished in 1975. It was rebuilt on a smaller scale. The centre reopened in June 1978.
In October 2002, torrential rain caused damage. Landslides dislodged two 50-tonne concrete blocks. These had supported the original building’s roof. The site was scheduled for demolition. The remainder of the site closed in 2004. Demolition began in January 2006. Today, the Summerland site is an empty, undeveloped plot.
A permanent memorial stands at Kaye Memorial Gardens. It bears the names of those killed in the Summerland fire. It serves as a reminder of the importance of fire safety. It also honours the lives lost in this devastating tragedy.