More than 100 people - many still in swimming costumes - were evacuated from a pool after a ceiling light caught fire, raining burning plastic into the water.
People were shepherded out of Warrior Square Swimming Pool, Southend, after an attendant saw sparks showering from the light.
Children who had been having swimming lessons were given thermal blankets as they huddled together outside the building.
The fire was caused by an electrical fault.
Fire officers used an aerial ladder to get to the blaze in the tall building. The burning light unit they were evacuated almost immediately. The fire brigade was at the scene minutes later.
One of the pool attendants saw a spark from the light and notified another attendant and started getting people out of the building and into thermal blankets to protect them from the chilly wind and rain.
Two fire crews from Southend went to the scene and used an aerial ladder to get to the blaze in the tall building.
Station officer Daron Driscoll said: "The staff acted quickly evacuating everyone, and all the swimmers were out before our arrival. "
Published Tuesday, May 20, 2003
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