Fire guts Gothenburg homeless boat
Three people were rescued when a boat used as a homeless shelter caught fire at its mooring in Gothenburg on Wednesday.
Three firefighters escaped uninjured after an explosion when they were searching the boat.
Grey-black smoke was still billowing from the vessel at 9.30 am on Thursday. The smoke was blowing away towards the river. The intense heat had caused paint to peel from the hull.
The fire brigade was cooling down the ship from the outside using water, but started on Thursday morning to withdraw forces from the scene. A handful of firefighters remain to monitor the boat.
The boat owner has told emergency services that there are gas bottles on the ship that could explode in the heat.
“It is too dangerous to go onboard, so we are staying outside. We are not trying to extinguish it, but are waiting for it to burn itself out. We’ll probably be here all day,” said emergency service spokesman Rolf Kagelind to TT.
The ship, the GA Skytte, has previously been used as a café and music venue, but was then coverted into a homeless shelter. Nine people lived on the boat.
Three people were home when the fire broke out at 7:30 pm on Wednesday.
“The fire was discovered by the female manager, and she tried to extinguish it herself in the cabin,” police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg told TT.
“But this didn’t work, so instead she managed to rescue the three people onboard.”
Police suspect that the fire was arson. A person was seen leaving the boat as the fire broke out.
“A witness saw somebody leave the scene, but we do not know if that person can be connected to the fire,” Fuxborg said.
TT/The Local
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Three firefighters escaped uninjured after an explosion when they were searching the boat.
Grey-black smoke was still billowing from the vessel at 9.30 am on Thursday. The smoke was blowing away towards the river. The intense heat had caused paint to peel from the hull.
The fire brigade was cooling down the ship from the outside using water, but started on Thursday morning to withdraw forces from the scene. A handful of firefighters remain to monitor the boat.
The boat owner has told emergency services that there are gas bottles on the ship that could explode in the heat.
“It is too dangerous to go onboard, so we are staying outside. We are not trying to extinguish it, but are waiting for it to burn itself out. We’ll probably be here all day,” said emergency service spokesman Rolf Kagelind to TT.
The ship, the GA Skytte, has previously been used as a café and music venue, but was then coverted into a homeless shelter. Nine people lived on the boat.
Three people were home when the fire broke out at 7:30 pm on Wednesday.
“The fire was discovered by the female manager, and she tried to extinguish it herself in the cabin,” police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg told TT.
“But this didn’t work, so instead she managed to rescue the three people onboard.”
Police suspect that the fire was arson. A person was seen leaving the boat as the fire broke out.
“A witness saw somebody leave the scene, but we do not know if that person can be connected to the fire,” Fuxborg said.
TT/The Local
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