River Canal Rescue was recently called out to the Grand Union canal, Wolverton area, to raise what was left of a narrowboat, following a chip pan fire. During the re-float, a witness to the incident told RCR engineers he went to help the owner, who was unhurt. No pets were onboard.
RCR managing director, Stephanie Horton, comments: “The boat was burned to a crisp, from front to back. The steel has warped the roof and most of the side, but the hull seems usable. The roof’s solar panels also melted.
“We initially tried to move the boat so it can be lifted out and taken to Redhill Marina, but low water hindered us turning it around, and it blocked the outboard motor. The outboard is now fixed, so we’re assessing whether water levels are deep enough for us to finish the rescue.”
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RCR hopes to move the boat this week. To add to what is already a very sad event, people have been dumping rubbish bags in the boat’s shell, which RCR will also need to remove.
