Centre Pub, Staffordshire Theme Park, England Grease Exhaust Fire

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/06/04/pub-goes-up-in-smoke-as-staff-enjoy-day-away-91466-21019658/

Pub goes up in smoke as staff enjoy day away

Jun 4 2008 by James McCarthy, Western Mail

THIS was the scene of destruction yesterday as a city centre pub burned while staff enjoyed fairground rides at Alton Towers.

 

Cardiff's flagship department store Howells and the market, plus other nearby stores, were evacuated after O'Neill's in Trinity Street caught alight at about 11am while it was being looked after by employees who normally work at the company's St Mary Street branch.

Staff said regular workers from the Irish-themed pub were on an away day at the Staffordshire theme park.

As the building blazed behind him one, who did not want to give his name, admitted he was having a "rough day".

Media Wales' Lorna Doran and James Cuff were on hand when a fire broke out in Cardiff city centre.

Another, 37-year-old Darren Floyd, an O'Neill's barman from Splott, Cardiff, who had the day off, said: "Everyone is up at Alton Towers. There would have been a reserve staff on. It looks like it is coming from the kitchen."

Police on the scene believed the inferno broke out after a chip pan caught alight.

About 60 firefighters raced to the scene as smoke filled the area around O'Neills. Plumes of grey smoke filled the air obscuring the steeple of St John the Baptist Church, located opposite.

Group manager for South Wales Fire Service, Mark Bennett, said: "The O'Neill's building has been severely damaged by fire and the roof has been destroyed.

"However, due to the firefighting efforts of crews from South Wales Fire & Rescue Service the fire was prevented from spreading to the indoor market and other surrounding buildings.

"Firefighters have now entered the building to deal with any hotspots and will damp down until further notice."

South Wales Police cordoned off Church Street and Trinity Street. All the stores on those roads including Howells and Cardiff Market were evacuated.

A force spokeswoman said the fire, which was tackled by 50 firefighters and 10 fire officers at its height, was not thought to be suspicious.

Gavin Underwood works across the road in bar and restaurant Que Pasa, which was emptied after smoke started coming in through the extractor fans.

The 20-year-old said: "I smelled it this morning but I thought it was the builders working nearby. Then I saw the smoke."

Stallholders in Cardiff market were given 15 minutes to cash up and close their stalls. John Adams, owner of Ashton fishmongers, said: "It has cost us almost a day's trading. We don't know the amount of stock that will be damaged but it could be between £5,000 and £10,000, There was a lot of acrid smoke, as if there was plastic burning. It was uncomfortable."

Grease star Olivia Newton-John's father was born in the pub before the family emigrated to Australia.

Olivia, 59, visited the pub, formerly the New Market Tavern, for the first time six months ago when she was researching her family roots for the BBC show Coming Home, which traces the family trees of celebrities.

She said: "I had no idea our father was born above a pub or that my grandmother Daisy worked behind the bar."

Office worker Nicola Reed, 38, said yesterday: "[Olivia] had a good look around the pub, which is a real landmark. But now it is completely gutted – there's a big part of her family history up in smoke,"

O'Neill's spokesman Andrew Roache said: "A fire was detected at O'Neill's in Trinity Street at around 11am this morning, prior to the pub opening for trading.

"Our evacuation procedures were followed and those present on site were evacuated safely. No injuries were sustained to staff and there were no customers on site at the time.

"At this early stage the cause of the fire has not been determined."