Two boat fires

THERE were two boat this week-end on the Thames and the Ouse, with the Thames fire rather worrying as it was one of the ill-fated Yellow Ducks that had sunk in a Liverpool dock.

The Ouse boat fire was a large 'gin palace' cruiser, whose plastic went up in a great ball of flames and smoke, on Saturday night, so bad that it caused police to evacuate nearby premises.

The boat was completely destroyed though 35 fire fighters tackled the blaze on the cruiser that was moored next to the King's Arms in York.

Both homes and business premises were evacuated whilst the fire was completely doused, owing to the large amount of acrid smoke given off from the blaze.

Yellow Duck

It was a Yellow Duck  amphibious tourist vessel that caught fire and was thought to be sinking on the Thames by the Houses of Parliament today (Sunday), with its passengers suffering from smoke inhalation, cold and wet.

Many passengers jumped into the river, but all the 28 passengers and the crew were eventually rescued by passing boats, with some taken to hospital.

The boat did not sink as expected, and was dragged to the shore pending an investigation.

The craft, run by London Duck Tours was a similar amphibious vessel to the two that sank in a dock in Liverpool, (Duckmarine sinks again) (pictured) and were at the time withdrawn from service and under investigation. Subsequently their licence was revoked.

Our thanks to Alan Tilbury for the above.