UK
A £6 million superyacht has gone up in flames on the Torquay harbourside just before midday on Saturday.Superyacht worth £6m sinks in Torquay Harbour after setting on fire
Fire crews battled the blaze on the 85ft yacht for hours as witnesses reported minor explosions
Police have declared a major incident and warned residents to close their windows against noxious smoke.
Photograph: Helen Brenton; Rob Hailstone
Miranda Bryant and Nadeem Badshah
Miranda Bryant and Nadeem Badshah
Sat 28 May 2022
A superyacht estimated to be worth £6m has sunk after firefighters battled to extinguish a fire on the vessel while it was moored in a marina in south-west England.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) said there was approximately 8,000 litres of fuel on the 85ft boat that led to people being evacuated from the marina in Torquay.
By around 6pm, the fire was out and crews were working on damping down the pier, a DSFRS spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added: “The boat has been sunk so it [the fire] is out now. It’s been handed over now to the Environment Agency and the harbourmaster.”
Fire crews were called just before midday on Saturday to reports of the yacht on fire. More than two hours after the incident it was still ablaze as multiple fire crews attempted to put out the fire.
At 3pm the fire service advised all residents in the area near the marina to keep their windows and doors closed due to “noxious fumes”, adding: “Crews are making steady progress extinguishing the fire.”
Crews used the harbour masters boat to help try to put out the flames.
The coastguard area commander for South Devon and South East Cornwall coastline said it was assisting Devon and Cornwall police in closing Torquay seafront.
Witnesses reported “thick acrid plumes of smoke bellowing from Torquay Harbour”.
“We stood and watched for around 10 minutes until the smoke began to affect our chests,” Georgina Cleasby, who was cycling home when she saw the fire, told ITV.
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“There was so much smoke it obscured the sun. We heard a few minor explosions and could also see flames.”
Devon and Cornwall police previously said the boat was “well alight and had broken from the mooring” but had since been secured by the fire service.
They said nearby beaches were also being evacuated for public safety and there were multiple road closures in place, including along the promenade and waterfront areas and parts of Torbay Road, Belgrave Road and Shedden Hill.
Fire services said the cause of the fire was unknown and that an investigation will follow.
A superyacht estimated to be worth £6m has sunk after firefighters battled to extinguish a fire on the vessel while it was moored in a marina in south-west England.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) said there was approximately 8,000 litres of fuel on the 85ft boat that led to people being evacuated from the marina in Torquay.
By around 6pm, the fire was out and crews were working on damping down the pier, a DSFRS spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added: “The boat has been sunk so it [the fire] is out now. It’s been handed over now to the Environment Agency and the harbourmaster.”
Fire crews were called just before midday on Saturday to reports of the yacht on fire. More than two hours after the incident it was still ablaze as multiple fire crews attempted to put out the fire.
At 3pm the fire service advised all residents in the area near the marina to keep their windows and doors closed due to “noxious fumes”, adding: “Crews are making steady progress extinguishing the fire.”
Crews used the harbour masters boat to help try to put out the flames.
The coastguard area commander for South Devon and South East Cornwall coastline said it was assisting Devon and Cornwall police in closing Torquay seafront.
Witnesses reported “thick acrid plumes of smoke bellowing from Torquay Harbour”.
“We stood and watched for around 10 minutes until the smoke began to affect our chests,” Georgina Cleasby, who was cycling home when she saw the fire, told ITV.
Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST
“There was so much smoke it obscured the sun. We heard a few minor explosions and could also see flames.”
Devon and Cornwall police previously said the boat was “well alight and had broken from the mooring” but had since been secured by the fire service.
They said nearby beaches were also being evacuated for public safety and there were multiple road closures in place, including along the promenade and waterfront areas and parts of Torbay Road, Belgrave Road and Shedden Hill.
Fire services said the cause of the fire was unknown and that an investigation will follow.
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