Firefighters deal with a huge fire on a superyacht for 6 million British pounds in Torquay | Devon

Huge streams of thick black smoke rose from the yacht port of Torquay and people were evacuated after the superyacht, valued at £ 6 million, caught fire. Police said the incident was serious.

Fire crews were called shortly before noon on Saturday to signal a fire on an 85-foot yacht. More than two hours after the incident, it was still burning as many fire crews tried to put out the blaze.

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the yacht and Princess Pierre next to it were on fire and that the yacht contained about 8,000 liters of diesel.

The superyacht worth 6 million British pounds bursts in Torquay – video

All people have been rescued, the fire department said, and the area has been evacuated.

At 3 p.m., the fire department advised all residents in the area near the marina to keep their windows and doors closed due to “harmful fumes”, adding: “Crews are making progress in extinguishing the fire.”

The crews used the boat of the captains of the port to help in the attempts to put out the fire.

The commander of the Coast Guard for South Devon and the Southeast Coast of Cornwall said he was helping Devon and Cornwall police close the Torquay coastal area.

Witnesses say thick puffs of smoke are screaming from the port of Torquay.

“We stood and watched for about 10 minutes until the smoke started to hit our chests,” Georgina Cleesby, who was cycling home when she saw the fire, told ITV.

Sign up for the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST

“There was so much smoke that it hid the sun. We heard several slight explosions and also saw flames.

Police in Devon and Cornwall said the boat was “well lit and detached from the dock”, but has since been secured by the fire department.

They said nearby beaches were also being evacuated for public safety. They said there are many closed roads, including along the promenade and coastal areas and parts of Torbay Road, Belgrave Road and Shedon Hill.

The fire department said the cause of the fire was unknown and that an investigation would follow.