Roaring[?]nferno

The tragic fire which reduced the Pacfic Pavilion to ashes did not

dampen the participants’ spirits.

Commissioner general Kaliopate Tavola reports the spirit of co operation is alive and well in Seville.

HE Pacific Pavilion in Spain, magnificent ediface of three

aditional island buildings

e bure kalou, hems tambaran and le with every hope of :coming a beacon of light for e region in Europe for the next : months as far as tourism, \dc and investment were con rned, was lost in a fire on

Dod Friday, just two days

fore the official opening of :po’92 on Easter Monday, Dril 20. 1 he burnt thatched roofs and walls the three traditional buildings, rticularly the roof of the bare kalou d fale , sustained fair damage. The ler parts, while scarred by the flame, I not show much damage. No lives re lost and nobody was hurt. The ■ did not damage the whole base nt area and the stage for our ■formances. This area contains the

administration area, storage, changing facilities for the performances and the common room for all staff.

The cause of the fire was focussed on the welding system that was taking place before the fire broke out. (The welding was to do with the sprinkler system which was designed to prevent such fires!). It was reported that the police took the welder, a New Zealand national, in for questioning but he was soon released and his passport returned to him after it was proved that the incident was an accident.

The Pacific has received generous support from many of the countries represented at Expo. Since the fire, there have been messages of sympathy and expressions of support for an immediate recovery and for continued participation of the South Pacific Pavilion in Expo 92. Commissioner general lan Fraser of New Zealand has offered office and other facilities for our staff. He has also offered us use of all staff facilities in the pavilion. All social fees have been waived for us. He has also offered manpower, at no cost to us, for the recovery work on our site.

The Australian commissioner gen eral, Doug McClelland, has offered the Pacific Pavilion part of the ground floor display area in their 534-million

Pavilion for our artefacts and light box

displays.

Visitors to the Pavilion have given Pavilion staff nothing but praise for

their participation following the

tragedy. Television coverage of the Pacific by French, Swiss, Spanish, Australian and other national stations were highlighted at the Pacific Expo 92 opening. The press and media cover age was seen in millions of homes

throughout Europe, and, despite the

fire, media attention has escalated on the region.

An Australian workman at the Pacific Pavilion site, Tony Eccleston, took these pictures when the fire broke out during morning tea break. (Below left) shows the village in early April. (Left) just seconds after the fire broke out and (above) when the smoke cleared.