Boat destroyed by fire

Published: Monday, 15 February 2010

YET another boat has been destroyed by fire, this time on the Nene at Peterborough.

It is thought that the cause of the fire was arson, as the boat had been released from its moorings and was spotted drifting along the river by Town Bridge in flames.

The fire service people were unable to reach the boat, which by the time they had arrived on the bank, was well alight.  It eventually came to rest about  a mile from its moorings, but was completely destroyed.

Owner Colin Martinali told that he had had little luck with his boats, for his  previous narrowboat had been broken into with all its windows smashed. Of his present loss, he stated:

"The boat was fully tied up and secure so it wouldn't just untie itself and set itself on fire. There seems to be no stopping these sort of things happening when you're not there."