- By Shivani Chaudhari
- BBC News, Essex
Image source, Mark Howard
The LV18 lightship suffered “extensive smoke damage”, its owner says
Firefighters fought what they described as “punishing conditions” to tackle a blaze on an “iconic” lightship.
Emergency services were called to the LV18 at the Quay in Harwich just after 21:00 GMT on Friday.
Essex Police said it was being treated as arson and a group of young people were reportedly seen leaving the area shortly after the fire started.
Group manager Danny Partridge, from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, said crews had faced “punishing conditions with extremely high temperatures in the engine room” of the ship.
He said they “worked hard to enter the engine room from the deck and prevent the fire spreading”.
Image source, Stephen Huntley/BBC
Seven crews from across the county tackled the fire
Crews left the scene at about 04:00 and returned to monitor temperatures throughout Saturday morning.
Tony O’Neil from the Pharos Trust, which owns the ship, said it was one of the last manned lightships in the country and “an iconic landmark”.
He said he was “confronted with absolute piles of smoke” when he arrived at the scene and the hull continued to be dowsed with water even after the fire was extinguished as it was “red hot”.
“There is extensive smoke damage. We will not be beaten and we will bounce back,” he added.
Image source, Essex Police
The incident at the Quay was not linked to a fire at the railway station, police said
Ivan Henderson, a Labour councillor in Harwich, said: “It is a real shame.
“It is one of the attractions that we are going to have to suffer from not having around.”
An Essex Police spokesperson said: “It was reported that a group of young people were seen leaving the area shortly after the fire had started and we are treating the fire as arson.
“If you have any information, CCTV, dashcam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
