Hawkesbury River boat fire: Eight injured, woman critical after explosion

Shocking footage has emerged of a boat engulfed by flames on the Hawkesbury River. Eight people were injured in the explosion.

A woman is fighting for her life and seven other people have been injured after a horror boat explosion on the Hawkesbury River in Sydney’s north.

The woman is being treated for burns at Royal North Shore Hospital and is in a critical condition. Three other people, two women and a man, are in serious conditions at the same hospital.

Two other people have been treated at Concord Hospital but their conditions are unknown while another two people were injured in the explosion but did not require hospital treatment.

The burned remains of the boat on Monday. Picture: John Grainger

The boat already up in flames at the Hawkesbury Marina. Pictures: Greg Manning

Bystanders moved quickly to help the victims on board. Picture: Greg Manning

Emergency services were called to the Hawkesbury River Marina on Dangar Rd at Brooklyn shortly after 5pm on Sunday following reports of a boat well alight after an explosion.

NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and the Rural Fire Service attended the incident.

On Sunday, paramedics said two people on board the boat suffered burns to up to 60 per cent of their bodies, while another six had burns to 20 per cent or less of their bodies.

The boat was engulfed by the time it was reeled in for firefighters to battle the blaze. Picture: Greg Manning

It’s believed the cruiser was being refuelled when the blast took place. Picture: Greg Manning

It is believed the 28-foot Bertram cruiser was being refuelled at the marina at the time of the fire.

Patrons from a nearby hotel rushed to the scene to offer assistance after seeing smoke billowing from the burning boat.

One of the first on the scene, Greg Manning from Sydney, said the boat had pulled into the marina to refuel.

He said a woman and several children had left the boat moments before it erupted in flames.

Burns victims being taken to hospital. Picture: 7 News

Fire crews battling the boat blaze. Picture: Greg Manning\

“A lady and a couple of kids got off the boat to buy ice creams,” he said.

Two men in a small boat managed to tow the burning vessel away from the petrol pumps on the marina.

The men attempted to extinguish the burning boat with a fire extinguisher and by spraying water on it from the wash of their outboard motor.

The boat continued to burn intensely until two Marine Rescue Hawkesbury crews arrived on the scene and began pumping water onto the blaze

Rural Fire Service firefighters wearing breathing apparatus managed to extinguish the blaze by fighting it from the shoreline using a pumper truck and hoses.

The boat was completely gutted and was understood to be sinking following the fire.