FIRE investigators say they suspect arson was the cause of the blaze at Southport’s Pleasureland theme park after finding multiple “seats of fire”.
One hundred foot flames could be seen rising from the River Caves ride as far away as Blackpool after the blaze began on Tuesday night.
Pete Owens, of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We’ve had arson investigation along with police go to the site.
“I’ve not had any feedback, but they’re there because we suspect it is deliberate as there was more than one seat of fire.”
No one was hurt in the fire, but the century old ride was destroyed at a cost thought to be tens of thousands of pounds.
Norman Wallis, the managing director of New Pleasureland, said the theme park would be open as usual.
He said: “We’re not going to allow these vandals to stop us. The show must go on. It looks like 9/11’s Ground Zero right now. But two or three socially challenged vandals shouldn’t be able to make other people suffer.”
