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Fisherman 'critical' after boat fire

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A fishing boat on fire in Belfast Lough a week ago
A fisherman is in a critical condition in hospital after a boat fire at a Co Down harbour.

A colleague of the man was also injured when the Celtic Harvester was engulfed in flames at Warrenpoint.

He is said to be stable after being treated for inhaling chemical fumes.

Both were taken to Daisy Hill hospital, but the more seriously injured man is due to be transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

The fire broke out on the 40-metre mussel dredger just before lunchtime on Friday.

Harbour authorities have launched an investigation into the cause.

Fire Service Station Commander Dermot Rooney said: "Any fire on a vessel of any sort is very dangerous because of the confined spaces involved.

"Very quickly in a ship fire, the temperatures can rise very quickly - there are also the associated hazards involved, such as falls into water. It's not a good environment to be fighting a fire."

It is the second fishing boat fire in Northern Ireland in a week.

Last Friday, five crewmen had to jump to safety after their Kilkeel-registered vessel caught fire in Belfast Lough.

They escaped injury but were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation before being discharged.

The vessel, the Bellatrix, sank after burning for five hours.

© UTV News

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At 17:19 on 30 October 2009, Andy wrote:
A boat went on fire last friday and another one this Friday, sounds fishy to me
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