Two people have been injured after a boat, which was used in Winston Churchill’s funeral procession, blew up.
The vessel, named Roehampton, was docked in Mud Dock at the Harbourside in Bristol when the explosion happened around 2pm yesterday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the scene and it was suspected that a gas canister exploded.
The vessel, named Roehampton, was docked in Mud Dock at the Harbourside in Bristol when the explosion happened around 2pm yesterday afternoon
Emergency services were called to the scene and it was suspected that a gas canister exploded
Two people were treated for injuries and were taken to hospital. The former owner of the boat said he was devastated at seeing it sink
Two people were treated for injuries and were taken to hospital.
The former owner of the boat said he was devastated at seeing it sink.
He had sold it to its current owners about 10 years ago, and he was ‘very sad’ to see it go up in smoke.
He told the Bristol Post: ‘I had a call saying your ex-boat had been blown up.
‘You could hear the boom, and we thought it was the Matthew that had done it. I used to own it for 20 years.
‘It was a bit too deep for one of the guns on the Matthew. It was very sad to see that happen. My wife is very upset about it, it was a lovely boat.
‘That was one of the boats in Churchill’s funeral procession. It served us well. I don’t know what’s happened, it looks like it is gas, but I really don’t know.’
View of Tower Bridge during the funeral procession of Winston Churchill The Earl Marshall, the Duke of Norfolk leads the Brigade of Guards with the coffin of the former Prime Minister
The vessel that carried the coffin of Sir Winston Churchill down the River Thames on the day of his funeral is to become a floating memorial to the great statesman
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said earlier: ‘We’re at Mud Dock in Bristol supporting the fire and rescue service, ambulance and the harbour master after an explosion on a boat.
‘Two people have been taken to hospital with injuries which are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.
‘Fire crews and the harbour master are making the boat safe. Initial inquiries suggest the cause was a gas canister being changed.’