Spectacular new video emerges of huge CBD $8million boat fire in Frances Bay at Hornibrook’s Wharf
SPECTACULAR new video has emerged of a huge fire that destroyed a multimillion dollar commercial vessel in a massive inferno at Hornibrook’s Wharf in Frances Bay yesterday. SEE THE VIDEO, PICTURES here
Northern Territory
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SPECTACULAR new video has emerged of a huge fire that destroyed a multimillion dollar commercial vessel in a massive inferno at Hornibrook’s Wharf in Frances Bay yesterday.
Police do not believe the blaze is suspicious – but cannot completely rule it out.
Detectives are calling for information and CCTV to help them determine the cause of the blaze that destroyed the MV Guru, worth about $8 million, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Explosions shook Darwin CBD in the early morning as the large vessel went up in flames.
The huge blaze sent choking plumes of smoke across the Darwin CBD setting off alarms at hotels and shocking guests awake.
NT Police said emergency services were called to the wharf just after 3.30am following multiple reports of explosions and fire.
Guardian Offshore AU managing director Darren Kolln said the vessel which caught alight, the 24m MV Guru, only docked at the wharf on Monday where it was to undergo maintenance before setting sail for Papua New Guinea on Saturday.
Mr Kolln said the boat cost in the “tens of millions” and it would be up to insurers as to whether it was a write-off or not.
A nearby resident of a high-rise hotel and apartment complex woke to the sound of fire alarms which had been set off by the smoke billowing over from the building from the boat fire.
Tash Nascha said the smoke was thick enough that she initially thought it was the
Ramada Suites Zen Quarter that was alight.
“Shortly after the announcement came through that we won’t have to evacuate and that it was a neighbouring house,” she said.
“I was interested to find out what was happening exactly and went to the other side of my building to find the boat alight.
“All I could think of was I hope no crew was asleep in that boat when it happened and trapped in their tiny sleeping spot in the bottom of the boat.
“I used to work on fishing boats like this size 10 years ago – this is nightmare material.”
Mr Kolln said the MV Guru was bought in 2015 and, of late, had been contracted to be used in PNG for seabed mapping.
“Extent of the damage is not good, it’s reasonably extensive I can’t quantify it as yet,” he said.
“We’re very fortunate that it was unmanned.”
Mr Kolln said the boat had no power going to it at the time of the blaze.
Police set up a crime scene and fireys were still hosing down and mopping up aboard the boat into mid-morning.
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Witnesses said the fire was “huge” and has completely destroyed the top level of the boat.
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