Fire On Cross-Channel Ferry Carrying Hundreds

Dramatic footage of the ferry shows large plumes of grey and black smoke billowing up into the sky from the engine room.

A fire has broken out in the engine room of a Calais-bound ferry carrying 337 passengers.

 

The Pride of Canterbury vessel left Dover in Kent early this morning and was arriving in northern France when the blaze erupted at around 8am UK time.

 

Dramatic footage of the ferry shows large plumes of grey and black smoke billowing up into the sky from the engine room.

 

Passenger Ed Sproston filmed the blaze and can be seen running up stairs to the deck where he sees it for the first time and can be heard saying: "I think the boat's on fire."

 

Seconds later - to the sound of a loud fire alarm - he tells a passenger who has come up to find out what is happening: "The captain's just said the starboard engines weren't working properly."

 

The 39-year-old from Hawkinge in Kent told the Dover Express: "It was hurting my lungs standing there. The fumes were toxic."

 

He said those on board were evacuated after being told to wait near the foot passenger exit of the vessel as they waited for a tug boat to push them into the dock.

 

A P&O spokeswoman said: "The fire was extinguished straight away by the sprinkler system. There were no injuries, either among the crew or passengers.

 

"The passengers disembarked as normal."

 

One round-trip service, the 9.50 from Calais and the 11.10 from Dover, was cancelled for the damage to be assessed.