A baby is among nine individuals hospitalized after a boat reportedly exploded and caught fire along the banks of the River Thames in Lechlade. The incident occurred just after midday on Saturday, May 31, prompting a large-scale emergency operation.
Firefighters rushed to the scene in Lechlade, a small town near Wiltshire, to extinguish the blaze. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, initial reports suggest it was triggered by an explosion.
The response involved two air ambulances and six land ambulances, along with several fire engines. Among the injured, an infant was airlifted to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children for urgent treatment. Another injured person was flown to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, while the remaining seven were transported to nearby hospitals by ambulance.
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Police forces from Gloucestershire Constabulary, Thames Valley Police, Wiltshire Police, and the Ministry of Defence Police were all present at the scene. Wiltshire Police closed a section of the river to facilitate investigations into the cause of the explosion.
The boat fire occurred on the Wiltshire side of the River Thames, bordering Gloucestershire. Eyewitnesses described seeing thick smoke billowing from a houseboat moored on the riverbank during broad daylight, with many onlookers expressing shock at the destruction.
Two of those injured have since been discharged from the hospital, but the conditions of the others remain unknown. Images taken the day after the incident reveal the charred remains of the boat, which was severely damaged by the fire.