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Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier fire: Alarm firm blamed Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier fire: Alarm firm blamed
(35 minutes later)
An alarm company was to blame for a fire which devastated Weston-super-Mare's pier pavilion in July 2008, a judge has ruled.An alarm company was to blame for a fire which devastated Weston-super-Mare's pier pavilion in July 2008, a judge has ruled.
The judge at Bristol Mercantile Court found a high degree of negligence from security firm System 2 Security, which has since gone into administration,The judge at Bristol Mercantile Court found a high degree of negligence from security firm System 2 Security, which has since gone into administration,
The pier's owners Kerry and Michelle Michael have been awarded a £30m interim payment.The pier's owners Kerry and Michelle Michael have been awarded a £30m interim payment.
The pier was rebuilt and reopened in October 2010.The pier was rebuilt and reopened in October 2010.
Mr Michael said he was pleased with what he called the complete vindication of Grand Pier Limited, its directors and staff but added he was determined to pursue those responsible.
'Clearly responsible'
"There can be no doubt where the blame lies. It has cost us hundreds of thousands of pounds to pursue this judgement and we did so knowing that System 2 Security Limited was just a shell of a company with little or no assets so we had little chance of seeing any compensation from them.
"They were clearly responsible for what happened yet they continued to deny any liability until the court case was upon them when they put the company into administration."
Dozens of firefighters tackled the fire, which took hold of the partly wooden pier in the North Somerset seaside resort early on the morning of 28 July 2008.
Fire investigators said the blaze started in an area containing deep fat fryers. Black smoke was visible more than 10 miles away.
The pier first opened in 1904 and was later bought by the Brenner family who sold it in 2008 in a multimillion-pound deal to brother and sister Michelle and Kerry Michael.