Mart
09-16-2003, 03:32 PM
As I write they are trying to put out a fire at the national motorcycle museum, about 5 miles up the road from me. Lots of primo old bikes trashed. Sad day for lovers of old machinery.
here's a clip from an online news report.:
More than 120 firefighters are tackling a massive blaze which has destroyed dozens of motorcycles in a national museum, a spokesman said. (Picture: www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk (http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk))
Up to 100 people had to be evacuated from the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham after the fire broke out just before 5pm.
The building's two main halls were gutted, destroying some of the best and most expensive motorcycles in the country, a fire service spokesman said.
Flames are leaping from the building and smoke can be seen for miles around as fire crews battle to put out the blaze.
About 20 fire engines were called to the building in Solihull, where firefighters were forced to pump water from the nearby National Exhibition Centre to dampen down the flames.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said part of the building is now just a blackened shell after the two main halls were burnt to the ground.
He said: "When the fire crews got here they were greeted by a very severe fire.
"Most of the building has been destroyed by fire. Out of the five halls they have recovered the motorbikes from three of them.
"The two remaining halls were the largest and had the best and most expensive motorbikes inside.
"I am now looking at a fairly blackened burnt out shell."
He said between 70 and 100 people were attending a function at the museum and the building had to be evacuated when fire broke out.
When fire crews arrived, several people were wheeling motorbikes out of the building to save them from the blaze.
Dozens of firefighters are expected to remain at the museum overnight to continue dampening down the fire, he added.
The spokesman said the cause of the blaze is still a mystery but fire service investigators and police are already at the scene.
Mart.
here's a clip from an online news report.:
More than 120 firefighters are tackling a massive blaze which has destroyed dozens of motorcycles in a national museum, a spokesman said. (Picture: www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk (http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk))
Up to 100 people had to be evacuated from the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham after the fire broke out just before 5pm.
The building's two main halls were gutted, destroying some of the best and most expensive motorcycles in the country, a fire service spokesman said.
Flames are leaping from the building and smoke can be seen for miles around as fire crews battle to put out the blaze.
About 20 fire engines were called to the building in Solihull, where firefighters were forced to pump water from the nearby National Exhibition Centre to dampen down the flames.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said part of the building is now just a blackened shell after the two main halls were burnt to the ground.
He said: "When the fire crews got here they were greeted by a very severe fire.
"Most of the building has been destroyed by fire. Out of the five halls they have recovered the motorbikes from three of them.
"The two remaining halls were the largest and had the best and most expensive motorbikes inside.
"I am now looking at a fairly blackened burnt out shell."
He said between 70 and 100 people were attending a function at the museum and the building had to be evacuated when fire broke out.
When fire crews arrived, several people were wheeling motorbikes out of the building to save them from the blaze.
Dozens of firefighters are expected to remain at the museum overnight to continue dampening down the fire, he added.
The spokesman said the cause of the blaze is still a mystery but fire service investigators and police are already at the scene.
Mart.