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Pleasure boat sinks in Lancashire canal
A pleasure boat was wrecked by fire before sinking in a Lancashire canal.
Firefighters were called to Top Lock, off Wheat Lane, in Lathom, Ormskirk, at 6.30pm on Tuesday, after reports a six-metre cruiser was on fire.
People from neighbouring boats released the burning vessel from its mooring on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal because they believed there were gas bottles on board.
Two crews from Ormskirk along with a Major Incident Support Unit from Preston, tackled the blaze from the canal banks, but the boat was so badly damaged it eventually sank.
Mick Winder, watch manager at Ormskirk Fire Station, said: "At this moment in time we have no idea how it started.
"Some people were in moorings alongside and when they realised it was on fire they undid the moorings which put it into the middle of the canal - it had gas bottles on board.
"It sank because it burnt away so much.
"We will be contacting British Waterways to get it removed to have a more detailed look at it."
He added that any boat owners without fire alarms on board can contact Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 169 1125 to have a Home Fire Safety Check.
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Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
