River Thames boat fire leaves baby and eight others in hospital

Nine people, including a baby, have been taken to hospital after a fire ripped through a boat on the River Thames.

The boat is understood to have ‘exploded’ on the banks of the River Thames in the small town of Lechlade, on the edge of Wiltshire, yesterday.

Pictures show firefighters battling the blaze after midday on Saturday.

The fire is believed to have begun with an explosion, but the exact circumstances have not yet been confirmed.

An infant was airlifted to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children for urgent medical care, according to Wiltshire999s.

Eight others were taken to hospital in the aftermath of the blaze, with one also being airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Two air ambulances and six ambulances all rushed to the scene as part of a huge emergency response.

Two people are believed to have been discharged after first receiving medical care in hospital.

A number of fire engines were also dispatched to put out the fire.

Smoke could be seen billowing out of a house boat on the Thames as fire crews worked on the river bank.

Gloucestershire Constabulary, Thames Valley Police, Wiltshire Police and the MOD Police, all attended the scene of the ‘explosion’.

Shocking images from the scene showed smoke billowing from a house boat on the banks of the river in the middle of the day. 

A section of the river was closed as officers made enquiries into the incident.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire said: ‘We responded to a reported fire on a residential boat in the River Thames near Lechlade just before midday on Saturday (May 31).

‘Nine people sustained injuries and were transported to hospital.

‘A section of the river was closed and enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.