The Peasholm Pagoda, which is currently being rebuilt after arsonists destroyed the original building in 1999, was attacked by vandals who used a mixture of petrol, untreated timbers and 16 ornate decorative timber brackets to start a fire on the lower deck.
Deck timbers were treated with Arch Timber Protection’s Dricon fire retardant.
“Luckily the structure is still intact, mainly because of the fire retardant-treated timber used in its construction,” said Graham Price, Scarborough Borough Council head of property services.
“If this material had not been used, the entire pagoda, with construction costs of over £200,000, could have been destroyed.”
The fire, which self-extinguished, was limited to 75% of the lower deck and supporting joists.
Initial insurance estimates indicate that replacement of burnt timber and smoke damage will be less than 1% of the construction costs.
“Whilst no-one wishes to see acts of wanton vandalism of this type, it is pleasing to report that Dricon performed as expected, self-extinguishing with sufficient speed to even negate the need for attendance by the fire and rescue services,” said Arch’s fire retardants manager Richard Adams.
The Pagoda lower deck will be replaced, along with protection for steel work and 16 new decorative timber brackets.
Completion of the restoration project is now not expected until mid-November.
