Cutty Sark Fire
January 2007:
May 21 2007:
Ok I have a little more news.
I felt physically sick as I quietly tagged on behind the media scrum that's down there at the moment, and saw what's left of the Cutty Sark. Even walking towards it, the lingering odour of wet smoke - a gut-churning smell that hangs around long after the fire is gone - and the delicate white ash scattered amongst the cobblestones by the market was enough to bring a tear to my eye.
You're right, M32, that 50% of the ship isn't here at the moment - it's in various places around the country, including Chatham, being restored - the wheel, masts, figurehead and top decking are all safe.
But of the other half there is a huge amount of damage - a largely wooden ship that's been 50 years in dry dock is obviously like tinder - and frankly there's virtually none of it left. At one point there was over 90% of her ablaze. All that remains is the iron frame, its ribs sitting sadly like a discarded turkey carcass at Christmas. It's too early to tell just how devastating the damage is, but even the iron frame has been warped in the heat.
The fire brigade were first alerted about 5.45am and CCTV footage shows that there were people around there at the time, including a silver car which was disappearing, but it's far too early to tell whether these were arsonists or just commuters making their innocent way to the foot tunnel. The police are treating it as suspicious, but they're being so cagey about giving out info that it's difficult to tell whether it's really possible that some sicko's set fire to it or whether it's just something they always do as a matter of course. They're desperate to speak to anyone who was there - so if, by any amazing coincidence, you were walking to work at that time of day, get in touch with Plumstead Police Station.
By far the most tragic figure there today was Chris Livitt from the Cutty Sark Trust - he looked truly sick. He likened the disaster to that of the fire at Windsor - and I think I agree. He's announced that they will now redouble their efforts to rebuild her but it's going to be an uphill journey now. She was insured, but you can't remake a 138-year old masterpiece without turning it into something else.
The only thing to be grateful for is that the ship was a shell - and there is still something to build upon.
Do visit and support the Cutty Sark Trust
http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/
May 21 2007:
Ok I have a little more news.
I felt physically sick as I quietly tagged on behind the media scrum that's down there at the moment, and saw what's left of the Cutty Sark. Even walking towards it, the lingering odour of wet smoke - a gut-churning smell that hangs around long after the fire is gone - and the delicate white ash scattered amongst the cobblestones by the market was enough to bring a tear to my eye.
You're right, M32, that 50% of the ship isn't here at the moment - it's in various places around the country, including Chatham, being restored - the wheel, masts, figurehead and top decking are all safe.
But of the other half there is a huge amount of damage - a largely wooden ship that's been 50 years in dry dock is obviously like tinder - and frankly there's virtually none of it left. At one point there was over 90% of her ablaze. All that remains is the iron frame, its ribs sitting sadly like a discarded turkey carcass at Christmas. It's too early to tell just how devastating the damage is, but even the iron frame has been warped in the heat.
The fire brigade were first alerted about 5.45am and CCTV footage shows that there were people around there at the time, including a silver car which was disappearing, but it's far too early to tell whether these were arsonists or just commuters making their innocent way to the foot tunnel. The police are treating it as suspicious, but they're being so cagey about giving out info that it's difficult to tell whether it's really possible that some sicko's set fire to it or whether it's just something they always do as a matter of course. They're desperate to speak to anyone who was there - so if, by any amazing coincidence, you were walking to work at that time of day, get in touch with Plumstead Police Station.
By far the most tragic figure there today was Chris Livitt from the Cutty Sark Trust - he looked truly sick. He likened the disaster to that of the fire at Windsor - and I think I agree. He's announced that they will now redouble their efforts to rebuild her but it's going to be an uphill journey now. She was insured, but you can't remake a 138-year old masterpiece without turning it into something else.
The only thing to be grateful for is that the ship was a shell - and there is still something to build upon.
Do visit and support the Cutty Sark Trust
http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/
Labels: News
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
09:45
14 Comments:
It was pretty much already just a skeleton. Looking at it before the fire it might have been easy to think that it had already burned down. I was really shocked when I first peeped at it a few weeks ago and told my friends as we made out way there on Saturday that it seemed as if there was almost nothing left. They'd definitely already taken a lot of the side planking away as well as the deck.
Chris Livett has said (according to the BBC):
"And from where I stand there is not a huge amount of damage to the planking that was left on."
"There are pockets of charred planking and some have gone, but it doesn't look as bad as first envisaged."
Your side view (here) is, I think, where I peeped in over the weekend and it looks now pretty much as it did then.
I'm wishing, hopefully not naively, that it really did look a lot worse than it is.
That is good news indeed. When I was skulking around, they hadn't been able to get on board to asess the damage. Maybe this can be saved.
My fingers are crossed.
I hope that Mr Livett's right and having seen some of the ship before the fire and your photos of it after it looks like he might be.
What I saw before the fire did look shocking, I would never have guessed that it could look so "bad". It would be easy to think that the condition of the hull is entirely down to the fire had I not seen it before.
Yes - it did look pretty duff, but I guess now they won't have to use electrolysis on all the timber planks - they can just use new stuff "aged..." It's not much consolation.
Do join the Friends of the Cutty Sark at the CST site above. I just have...
I've linked to you from my Live Blog of the disaster here:
http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/category/cutty-sark-fire/
Sorry for the comment - couldn't find trackbacks.
Thanks Matt. Sorry about the odd inaccuracies - I think I've fixed them now...
In light of last night's horrors, Simon Jenkins's comment from 2005 (look toward the end of the article) now makes him look like a crass plonker.
So at least we have the culprit...
I'm afraid he has always really annoyed me - he dons a cloak of reverence, yet often acts in a manner unbecoming to one who would claim moral superiority. This is just a small instance of journalistic bombast which I hope comes back to haunt him.
Perhaps the police could haul him in for questioning...
It's funny you should mention the Windsor fire, as my me and my friend were saying the atmosphere around the Sark this lunchtime was like when a Royal passes away; all the locals were milling around looking really sullen.. Terrible times for Greenwich.
But from BBC News:
Dr Eric Kentley, curatorial consultant to the Cutty Sark Trust, said of the ship: "It can be saved. It's certainly not completely devastated.
"We will put her back together - but it's going to take much, much longer and a lot more money than we originally thought."
Donate to the Cutty Sark Trust here
Thanks Andrekabu - this morning whne I checked their website it hadn't been changed yet, then I checked it a bit later and it was offline. I've just joined and made a donation - I hope everyone else will too...
I was so sad and shocked to hear that the Cutty Sark was on fire this morning, and just watched the pictures on the BBC.
I feel so sad about this and I just really, really hope it wasn't arson.
I cannot believe there are people around who would do a thing like that (incidently some stupid kids sprayed graffity on the Anne Frank house this weekend as well - at least that can be cleaned and is a lot less awful then a fire ripping through a beautiful ship but it just makes me so angry that there are obviously people around that would want to destroy such important things...)
Greenwich Phantom & Andrekabu, thanks very much for the link so we can donate, it's the least we can do and even though it will never be the original Cutty Sark I am sure that the ship will be lovingly re-built.
I am so glad that at least a lot of the items of the Cutty Sark were in storage. I know it remains sad and horrible, but at least it is something isn't it.
What a shame and a terrible tragedy. Video of the fire is on www.SplashVision.com
Dear Phantom,
I have sent you a link below to a Telegraph article dated 5 April 2008 which I thought you might find interesting though I'm not sure if this link is now a little outdated.
Aside from being somewhat aghast at the idea of a space age clipper suspended on a glass bubble and floodlit with corporate logos, it now seems the poor ship would have stood a much better chance of survival if it had been left to die a slow and graceful death at the mercy of the elements. It seems that the cause of the fire last year was not arson but an electrical fault coupled with poor surveillance on that evening!
I would be curious to know in light of all the extra work involved and the escalating costs whether the contractors responsible for erecting all that floodlighting which no doubt led to the fire are also the big winners financially.
Sorry to be a little alarmist but I had expected that something in the name of restoration was afoot, not an attempt by the Anthill Mob to cross Starship Enterprise with Wembley Stadium.
I'll calm down shortly!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/04/05/sm_cuttysark05.xml
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