Nelson canal boat blaze drama

After a canal boat was spotted on fire on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Nelson, in the early hours of Saturday, five fire engines were called out to deal with it.
Nelson Fire Engine.Nelson Fire Engine.
Nelson Fire Engine.

There was one from Nelson, two from Burnley and another two from Preston. The crews were mobilised to reports of a boat on fire on the canal near Scotland Road, Nelson, shortly after 2-20am.

The initial address given to the fire service proved to be inaccurate and it took some minutes to find the correct location.

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Eyewitnesses reported hearing an explosion and screaming, so a thorough search of the canal was carried out by both fire service and police officers.

Two life jackets where discovered on the towpath near the boat and a couple of mooring spikes were found some distance away, suggesting the craft may have been drifting for sometime.

A Nelson Fire Station spokesman said: “The boat was of metal construction and, although the fabric of the craft had been completely destroyed by the fire, the hulls integrity remained unbreached.

“Even so, a specialist environmental response unit was sent from Burnley to place a floating boom around the boat to prevent contaminants entering the canal.

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“A full investigation of the incident will now be carried out by the Fire Service in conjunction with Lancashire Constabulary.”

For information on boat safety – or to receive a free home fire safety check – contact www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk or call 0800 169 1125.