Fires at Thorpe Park?

[Theme park Fanantic]

My cousin and my grandparents went to Thorpe a few times in the early20s late 90s my cousin often recalls when disgussing Thorpe a number of fires. She said that everytime she went thier was a fire of some discriptionw. Once both my cousin and my grandad one got escorted to another part of the park. Due to a fire. Can you tell me what year this fire my cousin mentioned took place and what caused it. If it's any help my cousin was about the age rage of 7 or eight at the time she's now 25. I hope this information helps.

[yeah]

There was a fire in the early 2000s, might have been 2003 I think? Anyway, it destroyed an entire dark ride (Wicked Witches' Haunt) and a dark section of a ride next door. Ironically, I think it was replaced by Nemesis Inferno. Could be wrong on that though.

 

Just a piece of advice for the future, it might have been a better idea to post this in the Quick Questions section of the forum.

 

[Quorn]

Just now, ChessingtonSam said:

There was a fire in the early 2000s, might have been 2003 I think? Anyway, it destroyed an entire dark ride (Wicked Witches' Haunt) and a dark section of a ride next door. Ironically, I think it was replaced by Nemesis Inferno. Could be wrong on that though.

 

Just a piece of advice for the future, it might have been a better idea to post this in the Quick Questions section of the forum.

 

It was replaced by Detonator and one other ride which I believe was Vortex.

[yeah]

1 minute ago, louis_cullen said:

It was replaced by Detonator and one other ride which I believe was Vortex.

I searched it up and it was indeed Detonator that replaced it, and it happened in 2000. But Vortex? Isn't that the opposite side of the park to Detty? Was the Haunt building bigger than I thought?

[Quorn]

1 minute ago, ChessingtonSam said:

I searched it up and it was indeed Detonator that replaced it, and it happened in 2000. But Vortex? Isn't that the opposite side of the park to Detty? Was the Haunt building bigger than I thought?

It was installed on the opposite side of the park, but it was more of an attempt to replace haunt's place in the lineup as opposed to fill the area where it stood.

[yeah]

1 minute ago, louis_cullen said:

It was installed on the opposite side of the park, but it was more of an attempt to replace haunt's place in the lineup as opposed to fill the area where it stood.

That makes much more sense haha

[Quorn]

Just now, ChessingtonSam said:

That makes much more sense haha

Yeah it wasn't the length of the whole park haha

[planenut]

Have a look here..... http://www.memoriesofthorpepark.co.uk/tpfire.html

[RobF]

There have been several fires at thorpe over the years, the mr rabbits tropical travels and wicked witches haunt was the big one, burger king in canda creek is another one that was quite well known.

 

 

[JoshC.]

29 minutes ago, louis_cullen said:

It was installed on the opposite side of the park, but it was more of an attempt to replace haunt's place in the lineup as opposed to fill the area where it stood.

Not strictly true.  Wicked Witches Haunt was a family-aimed dark ride; Vortex (and Detonator) were thrill rides.  Zodiac was more the attempted 'replacement' (for lack of a better word), since that was geared as a family ride.

 

The fire happened at the start of the transition period from turning Thorpe Park from a family park to a more thrill-focused park.  There had long been plans for thrill rides to join the line up in the Lost City area, and for Mr Rabbit to be replaced by a coaster.

 

Because of the fire, Zodiac was bought in in 2000 (under the name Enterprise) to make up for the fact that 2 rides were closed.  It's popularity meant it was introduced permanently in 2001.  Vortex also came along to help increase the thrill offering, and start the Lost City area (with Colossus already well underway).  Detonator was introduced to further help the thrill offering, and to have something in the area where WWH stood.  It was originally only meant to be around for the 2001 (planning permission was only granted for a year, and originally Thorpe wanted a drop tower in the Lost City area).  But because of it's popularity, Thorpe decided they wanted to keep Detonator as it was and eventually got permanent planning permission.

 

More backstory on what happened with Detonator can be found on my blog... 

 

(Though spoilers - some of the information there is wrong.  Thorpe were originally going to get a Vekoma launched coaster, not an SLC...)

 

All the info about the Thorpe fire can best be found over with our friends Memories of Thorpe Park.

 

[Theme park Fanantic]

My grandad said on one occasion it was the Burger King that caught fire was damage did this one cause. My cousin send that everytime she went there was a fire. She renamed the Place Fire park rather than Thorpe Park she still refers to it as this now and she's 25! She thought it was strange as everytime she went there was a fire.

[Kerfuffle]

I believe there was also one in SAW Alive back in 2011...possibly due to a careless smoker or faulty wiring at the time.