Boat fire in Torquay today - other boats not damaged

NoviceRod

NoviceRod

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Arrived with family today to find D pontoon at MDL closed off due to fire on a boat. It was soon put out, before Fire Brigade arrived, without major damage and no neighbouring boats were affected.
Apparently there had been a leak from the fuel line (petrol) into the bilge, and there was a bit of a boom and fire when the owner started the engine.
Salutary message for those with petrol engines.
 
Only takes 2 minutes to put on the blowers to clear any fumes from the bilge.

It's a shame they're not connected to the engine start battery with a little timer relay. It's one of those things a lot of boaters will never remember to do. would be nice if it was automatic and would be a good safety feature.
 
James L said:
Only takes 2 minutes to put on the blowers to clear any fumes from the bilge.

It's a shame they're not connected to the engine start battery with a little timer relay. It's one of those things a lot of boaters will never remember to do. would be nice if it was automatic and would be a good safety feature.
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Good idea, but probably depends just how much petrol had leaked. Starter motor is unfortunately always at the bottom and brushes = sparks. . Perhaps a sealed or brushless starter would be an useful development too?
 
rbcoomer said:
Good idea, but probably depends just how much petrol had leaked. Starter motor is unfortunately always at the bottom and brushes = sparks. . Perhaps a sealed or brushless starter would be an useful development too?
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As far as I'm aware marine starter motors are ignition protected. That doesn't stop people fitting automotive ones though.
 
NoviceRod said:
Arrived with family today to find D pontoon at MDL closed off due to fire on a boat. It was soon put out, before Fire Brigade arrived, without major damage and no neighbouring boats were affected.
Apparently there had been a leak from the fuel line (petrol) into the bilge, and there was a bit of a boom and fire when the owner started the engine.
Salutary message for those with petrol engines.
Click to expand...

My Wife was asked to wait near the office while they sorted things out. Don't suppose you were the family she was talking too? A babies first outing perhaps?
 
colhel said:
My Wife was asked to wait near the office while they sorted things out. Don't suppose you were the family she was talking too? A babies first outing perhaps?
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Yes, I guess it was us. Sea was a bit unfriendly I thought, but it seemed to lull little Charlie to sleep!
Fire was D31, we are D53
 
Apparently the owner had been refuelling with about 80 gals in a trolley and a leak meant several inches of petrol ended up in the bilge. There is a special refuelling berth at Torquay which has all the equipment to put out a fire in case of emergency but apparently it's not used that often. Perhaps the marina will clamp down on it now. After all,the harbour master office has a clear view of the gate down to the pontoons.
 
Sounds like a careless refuelling operation if that's the case - perhaps overfilled the tanks? HM has only recently issued new notices on fuelling too... :rolleyes:

If we weren't in the EU, the government could adjust duty on marine fuel so that the quayside price was more in line with forecourts. That would alleviate quite a large element of fuel transfer and perhaps boost an aspect of the marine economy (as well as safety). They're doing similar for rural areas, so no reason why they couldn't. Quayside fuel is too expensive for many.

When I leave the boat in the water on the visitors pontoon, the last thing I do before coming into the harbour is transfer the reserve fuel into the tank - a) to reduce the amount I pay a premium for, but b) I never leave portable tanks in the boat and pointless taking them back home full!
 
We always used to take 60 litres in Jerry cans with our 2 previous boats, but was always Ill at ease with the smell of fumes as we filled them up. Have vague recollections of a conversation with a dockie at the time that they turned a blind eye BUT if we started a fire that took out adjacent boats we could be liable as we were acting against a bye-law of the marina. Filled up from Torquay fuel dock and paid 2.10 a litre.

If anyone in Torquay today come and say hello / goodbye as we are packing her up for trucking to Spain later this week. We are on TV 10 (I think) but left of main walkway as you walk away from land, adjacent to c pontoon "turn". Probably be down early afternoon onwards.
 
Andy Bav said:
We always used to take 60 litres in Jerry cans with our 2 previous boats, but was always Ill at ease with the smell of fumes as we filled them up. Have vague recollections of a conversation with a dockie at the time that they turned a blind eye BUT if we started a fire that took out adjacent boats we could be liable as we were acting against a bye-law of the marina. Filled up from Torquay fuel dock and paid 2.10 a litre.

If anyone in Torquay today come and say hello / goodbye as we are packing her up for trucking to Spain later this week. We are on TV 10 (I think) but left of main walkway as you walk away from land, adjacent to c pontoon "turn". Probably be down early afternoon onwards.
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Hi Andy,

Busy day today so doubt I'll get down, but good luck with the move to the Med and hope it all works for you. I've no doubt Mike and the others will make you very welcome in SC :)

Will look forward to your Med write up - oh and will also keep an eye out for that little runabout that will no doubt follow when you find yourselves in Devon and boatless... :cool:

I think the filling up is ok if people are sensible and the fumes themselves are less of an issue as they clear quickly. The majority are careful and I suspect that's why it's tolerated. The issue is with overfilling, spills and splashing about with funnels and the like. I tend to use 10L cans with the flexi-nozzel or a syphon on the odd occasion we use a 20L Jerry can and never brim the tank. I have seen people pouring via a funnel and fuel going everywhere all over the back of the boat! I'd cry at the cost aspect let alone the fire risk! :rolleyes:

Best wishes,

Rob
 
if it was a petrol spillage i don’t know how anybody can but you do see the careless . i was fitting on a narrow boat for someone a few months ago an a bloke launched a cruiser down a slip next to the boat 5 mins later out came the fire extinguisher he topped the outboard up turned the key and whoosh fortunately only a small fire but his comment whoops I spils a bit ?:nonchalance:... its just beyond belief:disgust:
 
I was on E pontoon when it happened and I am also a retired commander in the fire and rescue service. Yes the owner had just refuelled from jerry cans which is against marina policy, but that is a seperate issue. I was directly opposite when I heard a loud bang, almost like a flare going off. This was the initial vapour exploding. This was immediatly followed by 5ft flames coming out of the engine hatches which had blown off. The owner was in the cabin at this point but managed to exit smartly and grab a dry powder extinguisher. Luckily there was an engineer working close by and he reacted very quickly with a second extinguisher. One of the dockies was very quickly on the scene (who is ex fire service) and between us all the situation was quickly brought under control. The result of the fire investigation was both engines started after refuelling. One engine was running roughly which subsequently was due to a fuel leak from this engine spraying fuel onto the other. When the vapour/ air mixture reached the flash point an ignition source ( spark) ignited this mixture which was the initial bang. The boat was then taken to a safe area where 4 inches of fuel and a split fuel tank were found. The boat has relatively minor damage and I understand that she will be repaired
although the refuelling was in no way responsible for this incident I am sure there will be a firther clamp down on boat owners refueling on their berth. Incidentally on that same evening I was talking to the dockies when a guy was pushing a trolley with two 5 gallon drums ( not fuel rated one of which was leaking) with his child sitting on the top!! Needless to say the dockie had a quick word.
 
p
ozzie said:
I was on E pontoon when it happened and I am also a retired commander in the fire and rescue service. Yes the owner had just refuelled from jerry cans which is against marina policy, but that is a seperate issue. I was directly opposite when I heard a loud bang, almost like a flare going off. This was the initial vapour exploding. This was immediatly followed by 5ft flames coming out of the engine hatches which had blown off. The owner was in the cabin at this point but managed to exit smartly and grab a dry powder extinguisher. Luckily there was an engineer working close by and he reacted very quickly with a second extinguisher. One of the dockies was very quickly on the scene (who is ex fire service) and between us all the situation was quickly brought under control. The result of the fire investigation was both engines started after refuelling. One engine was running roughly which subsequently was due to a fuel leak from this engine spraying fuel onto the other. When the vapour/ air mixture reached the flash point an ignition source ( spark) ignited this mixture which was the initial bang. The boat was then taken to a safe area where 4 inches of fuel and a split fuel tank were found. The boat has relatively minor damage and I understand that she will be repaired
although the refuelling was in no way responsible for this incident I am sure there will be a firther clamp down on boat owners refueling on their berth. Incidentally on that same evening I was talking to the dockies when a guy was pushing a trolley with two 5 gallon drums ( not fuel rated one of which was leaking) with his child sitting on the top!! Needless to say the dockie had a quick word.
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If the marina is charging £2.10 for a litre of petrol then no wonder peeps are bringing their own with all the issues that that involves!
Surely a risk assessment would say that if the marina charged a reasonable price then the issue of refuelling from cans wouldnt arise?
S
 
skipper_stu said:
p
If the marina is charging £2.10 for a litre of petrol then no wonder peeps are bringing their own with all the issues that that involves!
Surely a risk assessment would say that if the marina charged a reasonable price then the issue of refuelling from cans wouldnt arise?
S
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FYI MDL Torquay does not sell fuel., and only Diesel is available at MDL Brixham.
 
Beyondhelp said:
Jiggle pipe is the way forward!! If I spill more than a few drops its unusual!
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Absolutely! I have always topped up from 10 litre cans using a jiggle pipe, and never looked like having a spillage.

I queried the re-fuelling method when I first went to MDL Torquay, they made me aware of the filling area, and recommended that if using any method other than pump or jiggle pipe they prefer people to use that area.

My personal thought was that I would rather fuel up with a cold engine using a jiggle pipe at my pontoon, than motor round to the filling area and fuel up over a warm engine with a funnel or spout.
 
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