A devastating fire engulfed the historic Eastbourne Pier in East Sussex Wednesday evening, destroying the seaside attraction's roof.

With only the skeletal framework left, the massive fire continued to rage through the main roof of the seaside town's pier.

After the fire broke out, immediate evacuation of the pier was initiated and almost a hundred firefighters were engaged as the fire ripped through the pier.

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There were no human casualties reported although the future of the 144-year-old landmark has been doubted after the fire, which allegedly began in the wall paneling, left the pier a total wreck.

In spite of the prominent damage on the pier, Chief Fire Officer Des Prichard of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service declared Thursday morning that a portion of the seaside attraction has been saved.

Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt explained that the fire might have been sparked by an electrical problem along the two layers of the wall panel, and added that most of the damage seemed to have been contained in the bigger dome.

Firefighter efforts were scaled down as the fire started to finally succumb to the water at around 3pm on Wednesday. The sea end of the pier seemed to be untouched by the fire.

Tourists and residents stood by watching firefighters try to salvage most of the historic landmark.

"I'm really sad, I could cry. It's devastating to see this happen. I just cannot believe it," 46-year-old Debbie Leach stated, saying that she was watching the tragedy helplessly from the beach.

Fire minister Penny Mordaunt expressed her sadness in regards to what had happened to the iconic pier and thanked the firefighters for responding beyond the call of duty during the devastating event. She has vowed to prioritize a visit to the fire-stricken landmark and talk to locals in the area about the incident.

TagsEastbourne Pier, eastbourne pier fire, sussex pier fire, pier fire