Visitors to Alton Towers Resort today experienced unexpected drama when the popular Forbidden Valley area was suddenly evacuated. Alarmed guests were ushered out of the area and directed towards the park’s main entrance as emergency procedures were put into action.
The cause of the evacuation was a small fire in the guest toilets located within the Forbidden Valley section of the park. Fortunately, the blaze was quickly contained and no injuries have been reported.
Swift Action from Staff and Emergency Services
The fire brigade was called to the scene as a precaution, and an investigation is now underway to determine how the fire began.
A spokesperson for Alton Towers told us:
“Earlier today, a small, contained fire was discovered by a colleague in a toilet facility within the Forbidden Valley area of the resort.”
“Our team quickly put out the fire and, as a precaution, we temporarily evacuated the area whilst we established the cause. We’d like to thank our guests for their cooperation. The safety and wellbeing of our guests and team members is always a top priority.”
Not the First Fire at the Resort
While today’s incident caused minimal disruption and no lasting damage, it’s not the first time fire has impacted Alton Towers.
- In 2009, a faulty vending machine caught fire, destroying the Sky Ride hub located between the Dark Forest and what is now The World of David Walliams.
- In 2024, the Wicker Man wooden coaster was temporarily closed after smoke was seen coming from the ride. Later investigation found the source was a foreign object rather than the ride itself.
Thankfully, unlike those previous incidents, today’s fire has not caused any long-term damage to the resort.
Impact on Queue Times
The evacuation had a knock-on effect across the park, with queue times for several rides becoming dramatically longer as guests were redirected to other areas. However, operations in Forbidden Valley resumed once the situation was fully under control.
Guests Praise Staff Response
Several visitors took to social media to share their experiences, with many praising the staff for their calm and professional handling of the situation. Despite the inconvenience, the swift response ensured that the incident was dealt with safely and efficiently.
