ditchcrawler Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 (edited) I have just seen the photos on FB of another boat fire at Foxton near the Lion. The boat looks well alight https://www.facebook.com/groups/NarrowboatOwnersGroup/permalink/2571093909835548/ Edited February 2, 2020 by ditchcrawler Added link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 That's a shame, it's a tidy boat that normally, the owner spends the winter on or around the Leicester summit every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 That's a horrible sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 Been for a walk past the boat today. Sad to say it’s gutted inside. Hard to say from looking what the cause is for sure. The greatest damage is at the rear as the pictures on fb show but the engine compartment looks ok. My guess is something electrical inside the rear or possibly the stove although the damage doesn’t look like it started there. The shell doesn’t look buckled and it’s still floating so the fire brigade did a pretty quick & effective job. Incredibly sobering tho....Only last week I managed for the first time ever to leave Ash pan door open when I went to bed....luckily I found it due to being woken up by the hot smell...neither the CO or smoke alarms went off...and yes I’ve tested them since and they are fine. A very close call indeed...that could have been my home. I have pictures but I’m reluctant to post unless others wish to see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tee Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 6 minutes ago, frangar said: Been for a walk past the boat today. Sad to say it’s gutted inside. Hard to say from looking what the cause is for sure. The greatest damage is at the rear as the pictures on fb show but the engine compartment looks ok. My guess is something electrical inside the rear or possibly the stove although the damage doesn’t look like it started there. The shell doesn’t look buckled and it’s still floating so the fire brigade did a pretty quick & effective job. Incredibly sobering tho....Only last week I managed for the first time ever to leave Ash pan door open when I went to bed....luckily I found it due to being woken up by the hot smell...neither the CO or smoke alarms went off...and yes I’ve tested them since and they are fine. A very close call indeed...that could have been my home. I have pictures but I’m reluctant to post unless others wish to see them. The reports don't mention any injuries or worse, so probably not insensitive to post pictures - might bring home what can happen (although we don't know the cause, something caused it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 Reports in the local press say the chap and his dog got off ok and that it started accidentally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 You can see a chap and a dog walking away from it in DC's link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 11 minutes ago, bizzard said: You can see a chap and a dog walking away from it in DC's link. According to the comments on fb that wasn’t the owner but I don’t know that for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 Does make you wonder about fitting a sprinkler system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, Bee said: Does make you wonder about fitting a sprinkler system. As you would probably lose power to any pumps quite quickly I doubt it would be that effective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billh Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 3 hours ago, frangar said: As you would probably lose power to any pumps quite quickly I doubt it would be that effective Some sprinkler systems don't use pumps for the actual fire, a pre- pressurized water tank ,fed by air compressor is installed. When a sprinkler head is activated in the fire area the tank water is discharged by virtue of the tank pressure. I wonder if you could use the normal boat water tank for this? You would need to keep plenty of water in the tank and maybe a reducing valve for the domestic supply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 The Leicester Mercury is reporting the cause of the fire as an unattended hob. It’s a reverse layout so this sounds likely with the damage at the rear. https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/dramatic-video-footage-narrowboat-engulfed-3805548 11 minutes ago, billh said: Some sprinkler systems don't use pumps for the actual fire, a pre- pressurized water tank ,fed by air compressor is installed. When a sprinkler head is activated in the fire area the tank water is discharged by virtue of the tank pressure. I wonder if you could use the normal boat water tank for this? You would need to keep plenty of water in the tank and maybe a reducing valve for the domestic supply? I think given the tank would then become a pressure vessel with all that would entail it’s probably not a viable option. Better just to get out and phone the insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted February 4, 2020 Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 Another one, this time on the K and A last night https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/18209187.canal-boat-blaze-near-seend-eight-fire-crews-race-kennet-avon/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddjob Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 On 03/02/2020 at 11:05, frangar said: Reports in the local press say the chap and his dog got off ok and that it started accidentally. Boat now in Debworth marina in the yard at the rear. only way to salvage is to completly strip it out and sand blast back to plain steel as the burnt smell is to much. I saw it on the canal the day after as i came past on my rtn to Debworth from Market Harbrough. very sad to see i hope it all works out for the owner insurance companies will be working hard to find an out to stop paying out on it I bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dor Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 On 03/02/2020 at 15:30, frangar said: The Leicester Mercury is reporting the cause of the fire as an unattended hob. It always gets me how often you see a window next to a hop with fabric curtains. Mine are not far apart, but I have an aluminium slatted blind in that window . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 7 hours ago, dor said: It always gets me how often you see a window next to a hop with fabric curtains. Mine are not far apart, but I have an aluminium slatted blind in that window . I think it's a BSS fail if there are hanging fabric curtains within 1 metre of a hob. Fire resistant blinds are ok though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBiscuits Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 6 minutes ago, Flyboy said: I think it's a BSS fail if there are hanging fabric curtains within 1 metre of a hob. I think you are making up BSS rules. Can you quote the number of that one please? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said: I think you are making up BSS rules. Can you quote the number of that one please? Lots of people do. you should see the arguments I get to on Facebook about the BSS and home made rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said: I think you are making up BSS rules. Can you quote the number of that one please? This was what I was told by a BSS inspector 10 years ago. It may possbly be an RCD requirement. 5 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said: Lots of people do. you should see the arguments I get to on Facebook about the BSS and home made rules Well I don't. It came from an inspector 10 years ago as I said to biscuits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 6 minutes ago, Flyboy said: Well I don't. It came from an inspector 10 years ago as I said to biscuits. No he made it up, just like the one who said you must have ventilation to pass or you must change your fire extinguishers every 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 5 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said: No he made it up, just like the one who said you must have ventilation to pass or you must change your fire extinguishers every 5 years. Whether I was misinformed or not it actually sounded like a very sensible requirement to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) 21 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said: No he made it up, just like the one who said you must have ventilation to pass or you must change your fire extinguishers every 5 years. The last 3 boats that have been surveyed for sale next door (3 different surveyors) have had to have new fire extinguishers as the existing ones were too old. It might not be a BSS fail, but if you didnt change them and they didn't work to stop a fire, the insurance company may well have a good excuse not to pay out. Ventilation IS a requirement of the RCD. Edited March 9, 2020 by matty40s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Flyboy said: This was what I was told by a BSS inspector 10 years ago. I was told by a BSS inspector a few years ago that I needed and RCD, I didn't, he refused to issue a certificate, I complained to the BSS. We have to accept that BSS examiners make up the rules to suit themselves, it is only by knowing the rules yourself that you can fight them. You don't trust a surveyor or examiner any further than you can throw them. Edited March 9, 2020 by Alan de Enfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted March 9, 2020 Report Share Posted March 9, 2020 1 hour ago, Flyboy said: Whether I was misinformed or not it actually sounded like a very sensible requirement to me. It is however, yet another case of someone being unable to tell the difference between something being sensible, and that something being mandatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair Posted March 10, 2020 Report Share Posted March 10, 2020 9 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said: I was told by a BSS inspector a few years ago that I needed and RCD, I didn't, he refused to issue a certificate, I complained to the BSS. We have to accept that BSS examiners make up the rules to suit themselves, it is only by knowing the rules yourself that you can fight them. You don't trust a surveyor or examiner any further than you can throw them. I've had that. Inspector said there wasn't an isolator on the engine. I said there was. He demanded to be shown isolator - I pointed it out to him. He refused to accept it was an isolator. He normally surveyed GRP boats and occasional narrowboats. A big F-O isolator where the key was a stainless steel handle was so far out of his experience he couldn't even recognise it. I paid for another inspector. Boat passed with flying colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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