FIRE broke out at a Sunseeker boat shed believed to contain the £18million yacht of Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan.
The blaze in an extractor unit sent smoke billowing across Poole Quay from the luxury yachtmaker’s shipyard yesterday.
Workers were evacuated as fire-fighters were called in.
Sunseeker, who refused to comment on any Eddie Jordan link due to client confidentiality, said no-one was injured in the fire and no damage occurred to any shipyard building.
However, paramedics did attend along with 10 Dorset Fire and Rescue Service firefighters.
Sunseeker International managing director Stewart McIntyre confirmed: “The incident was directly outside the shipyard building our new 155 yacht and our client has been informed that there is no damage to his boat or disruption to the delivery schedule.
“At present, the detailed cause of the fire remains unknown but it involved an external extractor fan unit and temporary, fire resistant weather protection sheeting.
“There is no damage to any of our boats under construction or any serious disruption to our production facilities, which remain fully operational.”
Firefighters with breathing apparatus dealt with the blaze, which involved the unit on the second floor.
Afterwards they used an aerial platform to assess the damage.
The incident left a gaping hole in the side of the weather protection sheeting that has temporarily extended the boat shed.
Read our updates from yesterday
Sunseeker workers were seen going about their normal duties within hours of the incident.
A fire service statement said: “Ten firefighters from Hamworthy and Poole attended a commercial building on New Quay Road following reports of smoke issuing from the building.
“The fire involved an extractor unit on the second floor.
“It was extinguished by three firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using two hose reel jets and a main line.”
The extractor fan has been completely gutted by the blaze, but no other piece of equipment was damaged.
“We sent two crews and they were only there about an hour,” addeed the fire service spokesman.
In 2011, a £9million Sunseeker went up in flames days before it was due to be delivered to its Mexican buyer.
Mr McIntyre said: “On behalf of everyone at Sunseeker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and our staff who contributed to containing any potential damage arising from this incident.”
EDDIE Jordan, who founded the Formula One team Jordan Grand Prix in 1991, visited Sunseeker in Poole last year after commissioning a Sunseeker 155.
The largest ever boat to be built by the company, it will reportedly cost £18million and feature a beach club and a lower deck day room. It will have a top speed of 26 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles.
No one from Eddie Jordan’s office was available for comment at the time of going to press.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article