Keighley firefighters help re-float sinking barge (From Keighley News)

Keighley firefighters help re-float sinking barge

4:38pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in Keighley

Keighley firefighters took part in an operation to re-float a sinking barge on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal this afternoon.

They and colleagues from Bingley were called out shortly after noon following reports a boat was sinking and the owners required help.

Crews spent several hours pumping water out of the vessel, the back of which was submerged in the shallow canal. A couple who live on the barge had managed to flee before it started sinking.

The barge was successfully re-floated and the cause of the incident is being investigated by its owners.

Fuel leaked into the canal, but British Waterways removed the contaminants before they caused any harm to wildlife.

Fire service crew commander Darren Creighton said: “It took us a few hours to re-float the barge. We had pumps from Keighley, and Bingley’s water rescue equipment. When we got there it had sunk as far as it was going to sink.

“There was a lot of interior damage, but it stayed floating after we were finished.”

The incident happened at the Dowley Gap locks, near Bingley.