Multiple crews from Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service responded when a ‘significant’ blaze broke out at a boatbuilding production facility in the early hours of yesterday morning (16th May).
Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding Ltd, which is based at Mylor Creek Boatyard, Falmouth, confirmed that the fire occurred at its pre-production manufacturing site at Ponsharden – the former Vospers site – not at its new South West Shipyard across the road.
The company said in a statement: “No one was harmed in the incident but multiple firefighter crews attended to tackle the blaze, supported by Devon & Cornwall Police. The fire is now extinguished, hotspots are being monitored and the damage is being assessed.”
Cockwells’ managing director Dean Short said: “We are immensely grateful to the fire crews who attended and the swift action of all the emergency services. We will now work with the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the fire.”
A Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service spokesman described the incident as a ‘very large and significant fire’ which involved road closures due to appliances, crews and equipment in the highway. Critical Control received a call at 00.08am reporting a fire in a commercial building.
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Falmouth crews were first on the scene and found the building well alight. Additional crews were mobilised from Tolvaddon, Helston, Newquay, Truro Community fire stations to assist, along with two officers and specialist vehicles from Perranporth and St Just community fire stations.
Cockwells told PBO that although there may be limited effects to the production of Duchy Motor Launches and Hardy Motor Yachts, no boats were damaged and this will not affect the production of Cockwells’ Superyacht Tenders, which are built at Cockwells’ sister site in Mylor Creek Boatyard.