Update: Blaze rips through restaurant at marina near Emsworth

A marina manager has spoken of her shock after a blaze ripped through a restaurant at a marina.

More than a dozen firefighters from Hampshire and West Sussex were mobilised to tackle the early-morning fire in Thornham Lane, Prinstead in Emsworth.

The alert was sounded at about 1.30am today, and saw two crews from Havant, one from Emsworth and another from Chichester in attendance.

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When firefighters arrived, the blaze had already ripped through a 20m by 6m building.

Jeanette Critchell, manager of Thornham Marina, said the fire started in and was contained to Boaters Bar and Diner.

No boats were damaged. Jeanette told reporters she was phoned by the police at around 4.00am telling her of the incident and she doesn’t think it is suspicious.

She said: “I was absolutely shocked. My first thought was hoping that nobody is hurt.

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“There was nobody around at all. The fire call was made by a resident along Thornham Lane.

“We will be doing as much as we can for Boaters. We will give them any advice that we can and will work together to get the restaurant up and running.”

Crews battled the fire for more than three hours, using high pressure hoses, water jets, breathing apparatuses and positive pressure fans.

Havant firefighter Neil Stephens was one of those at the scene.

He said: “The building was well alight when we arrived.

“About 70 per cent of it has been destroyed by the fire.”

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An investigation is expected to be launched into the cause of the blaze.

Nobody was reported to have been injured during the incident.

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