Boat fire at Old Windsor lock

A pleasure boat caught fire at Old Windsor Lock yesterday.

Firefighters tackled the blaze and the four on board escaped with no major injuries.

The vessel, about 10 metres long by three metres wide, went up in flames at about 12.43pm.

Two adults and two children escaped from the boat. The man was treated for flashburns to the face.

Appliances from Slough, Windsor and Langley as well as a water rescue unit from Reading responded to the call.

Watch manager Paul Jones from Windsor Fire Station explained they could not put too much water on it as the boat would sink and there were also gas canisters for cooking on board.

The lock was closed for about two hours while firefighters extinguished the fire using two hose reels and foam.

Firefighters from Maidenhead and from Buckinghamshire also had to bail out a boat sinking at Temple Marina, near Marlow, at about 4am this morning (May 3).