The Thames river boat fire has left nine in hospital
GEOGRPAHY.CO.UK/MICHAEL DIBB
The severity of the injuries of those involved in the fire remains unknown
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A boat explosion on the banks of the River Thames left nine people hospitalised.
Emergency services rushed to a fire in the town of Lechlade, on the edge of Wiltshire, yesterday after being alerted to the blaze.
A baby is understood to be among those who were taken to hospital following the incident.
Two air ambulances, six ambulances, three Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) ambulances and two ambulance rapid response vehicles all responded to the fire.
One person was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, while a child is thought to have been airlifted to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
It is not currently known how severely those hospitalised were injured or whether they are still in hospital.
Wiltshire Police said in a statement: “We responded to a reported fire on a residential boat in the River Thames near Lechlade just before midday on Saturday.
“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.”
It is thought that the fire was caused by an explosion on the small vessel but details surrounding the exact nature of the blaze are yet to be established.
The idilic town of Lechlade sits right on the edge of the Cotswolds and has a population of just 3,139, according to the 2021 Census.
It is at the highest point at which the River Thames is navigable and gets its name from the River Leach, which joins the Thames at the town.
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