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Thirty people were rescued when an amphibious tourist vessel on the River Thames caught fire close to the Houses of Parliament, emergency services said. Many people jumped into the river from the London Duck Tours craft. |
Flames ripped through the vessel on a stretch of water close to Lambeth Bridge. Passengers were hauled to safety by crews on passing tour barges after the fire broke out shortly before midday yesterday.
London Fire Brigade said the boat was 33% damaged by the blaze. “Approximately 30 people were rescued by passing tourist boats,” a spokesman said. “All persons were accounted for.”
A woman and a child were taken to hospital with suspected smoke inhalation . Further tourists were treated at the scene of the fire, opposite the Houses of Parliament.
A police source said the nature of the injuries “could have been a lot worse”.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Police were called at approximately 11.55pm to reports of a fire on a Duck Tours boat on the River Thames.
“A number of people were reported to be in the water at the time. Several Metropolitan Police units attended including the marine policing unit and the police helicopter.
“A number of people were recovered from the water. All 28 passengers and two crew members have been accounted for.”
London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it pulled about 15 people from the water and had the blaze under control by 12.10pm.
LFB group manager Neil Withers said: “A number of people jumped into the water but they were soon rescued, and fortunately at this stage it doesn’t look like anyone’s been seriously injured.
“People are clearly cold, wet and in shock but they were pulled from the water really quickly and that’s testament to the work of our firefighters, other emergency rescue teams and others who rushed to the scene to help.”
The casualties - all tourists - were warmed with cups of tea at the riverside yesterday afternoon. The damaged boat was pulled away from the scene by an LFB fire boat and the brigade has now launched an investigation into how the fire started.
The Port of London Authority is also expected to investigate the blaze.
London Duck Tours touts itself as the “antidote to the usual bus tours” and promises to offer families an “adventure on both road and river”. The yellow boats - known as ducks - are said to offer a “much more exciting way to see the capital’s landmarks when compared to a London sightseeing bus or cruise”.
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