Woman 'badly burnt' in marina gas explosion

 A WOMAN has been 'badly burnt' and two people injured after a gas explosion at Upton Marina on the Severn.

The 60 years old woman was air lifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, and is reported to be in a serious condition.

Exploding gas cylinder

The cause was an exploding gas cylinder, with the resulting blaze destroying three nearby moored boats and damaging others, with eye witnesses telling that people were thrown from the boat by the explosion.

The emergency services rushed to the marina just after midday yesterday, Thursday, finding boats well alight and people needing urgent hospital attention.

Thick black smoke

Thick black smoke filled the marina as the GRP boats burnt, with fire appliances dousing the flames, that were eventually brought under control.

In addition to the woman taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for urgent burns attention, a second woman in her 60's was taken, together with a 30 years old man, to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

More than 30 firefighters tackled the burning boats and the fire service is working to minimise any water pollution.