A little while ago there was a warning in the ‘yachting press’ about boat safety and in particular safety on inland waterways craft.

This is nothing new: Marine Industry Federation and MAIB (Maritime accident investigation branch) of the MCA have raised concerns earlier this year.

While down in deepest ‘land locked’ Wiltshire recently visiting family in Devizes, we saw a blaze taking place whilst passing over the Kennet & Avon Canal. It turned out that a most serious fire had taken place aboard a canal boat moored near the road bridge.

It is not known what caused the blaze, however, many of the occupants of these ‘live-aboards’ use wood for heating and gas for cooking. Stacks of wood are often seen atop the vessels as well as a miasma of other ‘junk’…

I was told that an intact gas bottle was seen floating by the wrecked vessel, indicating, perhaps, that it wasn’t a gas based conflagration.

It is pretty obvious that the inferno within caused partial destruction of the vessel as well as its sinkage – that, however, was most likely due to fire service flooding when combatting the blaze.

Food for thought eh!