Boat fire leaves man with severe burns

The fire was started in a diesel heater aboard the yacht

RNLI Sheerness lifeboat

A liveaboard boat owner suffered burns to his hands, feet and face after an ‘accidental fire’ started in a diesel heater.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to the fire on the yacht Vincent, which was moored alongside Coal Washer Wharf in Queenborough Harbour. on the evening of 8 December. On arrival crews found a fire in the living area of the boat.

Due to difficult access crews needed the Kent Fire and Rescue Service six meter RIB to enable greater access to the fire and to be able to tackle the fire from the water side of the vessel using the jet on the RIB.

A fire service spokesman said: ‘A man in his late 50s was rescued from the boat by crews. He was then transferred to the Sheppey Lifeboat before being taken to Sheerness Docks where he was met by paramedics from SECAmb and treated for the effects of breathing in smoke and for severe burns to his face, arms and hands.

‘He was then transferred to hospital. The house boat living area has been left severely damaged by the fire, which was accidental and started in a diesel heater. The houseboat owner was alerted to the fire by his smoke alarm that he’d installed on the boat.’

Sheerness RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew also attended the incident, arriving on the scene at 10.15pm and assisted the fire service by transferring the 58-year-old casualty ashore via lifeboat.

The crew assessed his injuries and administered first aid whilst proceeding back to station in Sheerness docks where they arrived at 10.32pm to be met by a Kent ambulance crew and taken to Medway Maritime Hospital.

RNLI lifeboat second coxswain Paul Jarvis said: ‘The man’s injuries were thought to have been caused by a diesel fuelled heater. Apart from the burns the casualty was suffering from having inhaled the diesel fumes so the crew gave medical care to help with his breathing.’