Blackpool Tower goes up in flames as public evacuated from iconic landmark and man arrested

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Lancashire's iconic Blackpool Tower has been evacuated after a fire, with a man being arrested by cops. Pictures and videos show flames emanating from the top of the famous 380ft structure.The incident, on The Promenade, was first reported at around 2:15pm today, reports the Mirror.

A Blackpool Tower spokesperson said that a number of people have been evacuated. One witness posted on Facebook saying: "Blackpool tower on fire" while another said: "Top of Blackpool Tower is on fire!!!"Lancashire Fire and Rescue stated: "We have six fire engines, the drone team and the rope rescue team currently in attendance at a fire on Promenade, Blackpool.

Please stay away from the area. The drone team are in operation so please do not fly drones in the area as you may obstruct emergency operations." The incident is causing a lot of traffic problems on the Promenade with heavy traffic on roads surrounding the Tower.

A man at the scene was filmed being pinned down and detained by cops in front of onlookers. Blackpool Police have not yet confirmed whether an arrest has been made.One witness said: "At least three fire engines arrived in a matter of minutes, and then the street behind the tower was cordoned off, so you can't get any closer.