Photo: Twitter / @Grace31307003
Torquay Harbor in Devon, England, is a most picturesque location, famous for its expanding marine leisure industry and gorgeous scenery. Yesterday, it was covered in black smoke, as a superyacht moored there spontaneously became a fireball.
An expensive superyacht caught fire and burned to a crisp before sinking on Saturday, May 28, at Princess Pier in Torquay Harbor, in Devon. The superyacht, estimated at £6 million by the British media (roughly $7.6 million at the current exchange rate), was a privately-owned vessel moored at the end of Princess Pier.
The BBC reports that eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud bang before the fire, which seems to have spread from the front end, engulfing the entire ship despite the efforts of firefighters at the scene. A large column of black smoke spread over the harbor, forcing authorities to urge residents and tourists to stay indoors – and away from the scene, as more explosions were expected.
And more explosions followed. The 85-foot (26-meter) vessel broke free from its moorings and, still on fire, headed for the marina pier, where it continued to burn. First-responders were able to secure it here for damage control. Whatever was left of the superyacht after the fire sank shortly after.
During the fire, the Devon & Cornwall Police shut down traffic on nearby roads. The marina pier was closed to all traffic, and remains so as of the time of press, since the burning ship caused serious damage to the pier, burning the bridge.
While it’s fortunate that no other ship was damaged and, more importantly, that no one was injured in the incident, the trouble is far from over, as the Environment Agency (EA) points out. The vessel was carrying 8,000 liters (2,113 U.S. gallons) of fuel, so the real danger is now pollution. The scene remains qualified as a major incident, as the EA and the harbormaster continue the investigation.
The cause of the fire is also under investigation, and all involved parties have so far refrained from speculating on it.
The BBC reports that eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud bang before the fire, which seems to have spread from the front end, engulfing the entire ship despite the efforts of firefighters at the scene. A large column of black smoke spread over the harbor, forcing authorities to urge residents and tourists to stay indoors – and away from the scene, as more explosions were expected.
And more explosions followed. The 85-foot (26-meter) vessel broke free from its moorings and, still on fire, headed for the marina pier, where it continued to burn. First-responders were able to secure it here for damage control. Whatever was left of the superyacht after the fire sank shortly after.
During the fire, the Devon & Cornwall Police shut down traffic on nearby roads. The marina pier was closed to all traffic, and remains so as of the time of press, since the burning ship caused serious damage to the pier, burning the bridge.
While it’s fortunate that no other ship was damaged and, more importantly, that no one was injured in the incident, the trouble is far from over, as the Environment Agency (EA) points out. The vessel was carrying 8,000 liters (2,113 U.S. gallons) of fuel, so the real danger is now pollution. The scene remains qualified as a major incident, as the EA and the harbormaster continue the investigation.
The cause of the fire is also under investigation, and all involved parties have so far refrained from speculating on it.
Burnt through the bridge and the stone on the pier ! #fire #torquay pic.twitter.com/hjjs4gQNiQ
— Grace (@Grace31307003) May 28, 2022
Update on yacht fire in Torquay. With yacht now sunk, and with approx 9 tonnes of diesel on board, focus now on pollution. Pollution response led by harbour master. Our officers are helping with advice and guidance on bathing water quality etc
— Environment AgencySW (@EnvAgencySW) May 28, 2022
Our officers have been checking air quality around Torquay harbour this afternoon following the yacht fire, which was declared a major incident. Thought to be no real issues with air quality, but we're keeping an eye on the situation.
— Environment AgencySW (@EnvAgencySW) May 28, 2022
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