Duck boat tours suspended after fire on Thames
London Duck Tours thanks rescuers and says it will not be operating until cause of fire on amphibious bus is known
An amphibious tour bus company has suspended its excursions on the Thames after one of its vehicles caught fire on the river on Sunday, prompting a rescue operation involving the police, the fire brigade, the RNLI and passing tourist boats.
Twenty-eight passengers and two crew members were evacuated from the London Duck Tours vessel Cleopatra after it burst into flames opposite the Houses of Parliament just before noon.
Seven people were treated for smoke inhalation and three people were taken to hospital with minor injuries. All have been discharged.
In a statement addressing what it called a “serious incident”, the company said: “London Duck Tours operates to the highest safety standards, and at this early stage it is not possible to speculate on the reason for the incident. Until the cause is established, the company will not be operating on the river and should technical or safety modifications be required to our fleet, these will be introduced prior to the service recommencing.”
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/30/duck-bus-suspends-tours-fire-thames