Gas-build up blamed for boat blasts

Fifty firefighters and the Shoreham lifeboat crew fought for more than three hours to control the blaze at Brighton Marina on Sunday night.

The fire started just before 8pm with an explosion on a 100,000 Fairline Turbo powerboat moored at the marina's West Jetty. Flames quickly spread to a boat moored alongside.

Both were destroyed and eventually sunk.

The Shoreham offshore lifeboat, whose seven-man crew are specially trained to tackle fires, worked on the blaze for around two hours.

Crew member Rob Cullen said: "The flames were high and there were great plumes of acrid black smoke. The location of the boats made it hard for fire crews to reach them, which is why we were needed."

Ross Bird, 27, had just settled down for a drink on his own craft at the marina when he heard an explosion. He looked out to see a man on board the boat looking startled.

Mr Bird started to make his way towards the man when another blast rocked the boat and the man was engulfed by flames.

He was pulled on to the pontoon and Mr Bird was joined by other boat owners who began to cut vessels free to stop the fire spreading.

When the blaze spread to the next boat it was followed by another explosion which sent Mr Bird flying metres through the air.

He crawled along the pontoon in the wrong direction to avoid the flames and was considering jumping on to another boat and cutting it free when Brighton lifeboat arrived and took him to safety.

He said: "It was an unbelievably lucky escape for that man and I think had we not cut the boats free and the marina staff been so quick to pull others away, five or six boats would have been destroyed.

"I am homeless for the moment because I can't get back to my boat, and a little dazed, but I am all right.

The boat owner was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton with burns to the face and hands but was later released on Monday after treatment.

Fire crews from Roedean, Preston Circus, Hove Newhaven, Lewes and Barcombe were among those called to deal with the fire and they stayed on the scene until around midnight.

All boats and some holiday homes along the seafront were evacuated during the fire and a cordon put up for several hours.