Berthon Boat Company’s boatyard in Lymington was sealed off after a discarded distress flare ignited in a dustbin lorry.

The flare had been dumped in a skip and went off as it was emptied into a lorry.

On the advice of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, the dustmen tipped
the rubbish on to the ground, enabling fire crews to extinguish the
blaze. As a precaution, police cordoned off part of Berthon boatyard until the fire was out.

Station Manager David Marshall told the Daily Echo: “When fire crews arrived a considerable amount of smoke was coming from the flare, which was still on the lorry. We’ve been called to a number of incidents involving discarded
flares, resulting in a considerable financial burden on the public
purse. Anyone wishing to dispose of a flare should seek the advice of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.”

Story: The Daily Echo