Southend Airport - Fire caused by firework?

[newswatcher]

From the London Evening Standard:

"A stray firework is today thought to have started a £1 million blaze at Southend airport in which two planes and an aircraft hangar were destroyed.

The firework smashed through the roof of the hangar close to the airport's security fence on Saturday night. Pilots coming into land alerted the fire brigade as a huge blaze lit up the skyline.

A £750,000 twin-engine cargo plane made of magnesium alloy disintegrated in the intense heat.

The plane is believed to have been recently been bought in Tobago by an East End businessman. A second plane made of wood was destroyed.

Three fire engines and a hydraulic platform were used to fight the fire which took more than an hour to bring under control."

[Wycombe]

The cargo a/c destroyed was apparenrently a YS11 (rare Japanese built, RR-powered thingy)

[ 05 November 2001: Message edited by: Wycombe ]

[spekesoftly]

The YS11 is very similar in appearance to the HS748, but bigger. More like an ATP perhaps!

[ 05 November 2001: Message edited by: spekesoftly ]

[Small Pilot]

Try www.thisisessex.co.uk for more details, although the local paper with its usual accuracy describes the YS-11 as a JET!

[The Guvnor]

The YS11 was an ex Air Caribbean one on the Burundi register.

[DouglasDigby]

Thought at first it might have been the 7-oh from last month's drug bust! Any non-litigious, non-thread-closing news about it or the crew?

[Arkroyal]

What kinda firework can 'smash through a hangar roof'?

I want one!

[spekesoftly]

What kinda hangar roof can be penetrated by a firework?

I don't want one!

[PaperTiger]

AIUI the 'hangar' was a small canvas affair - more of a tent really. Its only occupant was a Fournier which burnt very nicely thank you, the fire spreading to the YS-11.

[BOEINGBOY1]

spekesoftly - the ones in down town kabul do !!!

[PaulDGriggs]

One thing that worries me knowing Southend very well is that the YS-11 was parked next to the Security hut, I assume this is unmanned at night or the alarm should have got raised very quickly. It's lucky the guards hut didn't melt...it is damm close...

[LTN man]

easyJet at LTN also uses a canvas hangar. Seems that some companies will go to any lengths to save a bit of money.

[The Guvnor]

...as does LC at GLA. The BAA are apparently building them a new permanent one, though. When I first saw it, I thought that they had their own marquee terminal - shades of LHR in it's earliest days!

[Mycroft]

I live near a museum that uses several of these temporary building (both as display area and workshops- the MOD are also rather keen on them) and at times they have fired cannon inside them (blank of course, approx 1 lb black powder). They are quite sturdy, but anything would quickly burn through