'We are devastated but will rebuild' says Underfall…

'We are devastated but will rebuild' says Underfall Yard after huge fire

The charity that runs Underfall Yard have said everyone in their community of boatbuilders, engineers, craftspeople and residents are ‘devastated’ at last night’s fire - but have pledged to rebuild the area back to its former glory.

In a statement from the Underfall Yard Trust, the charity which was setup more than 25 years ago to transform the area of Bristol’s Harbourside, the members said they would be supporting the tenants who have lost everything as their yards and workshops went up in flames around midnight last night.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service handed over the scene to the Harbourmaster and the charity after lunch today, after a morning of dampening down the smouldering remains of several of the units. Pollution control was also in place around some of the boats on the water that were destroyed by the flames and sunk.

UPDATES: Residents evacuated as huge fire rips though Bristol harbour

The Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, also backed the Underfall Yard Trust’s pledge to rebuild the area, and local councillors said they had been visiting boat-dwellers in the area and pledged to work with the trust to get the area restored and reopened as quickly as possible.

In a statement from the Underfall Yard Trust, the group running the working boatyard and heritage area, said: “We are devastated by the fire at the Underfall Yard.

“The fire has destroyed the heart of the Yard where most of the boatbuilding activity takes place. Tenants' businesses and boats have been ruined. We are supporting our tenants as best we can. Thankfully no one was killed and no one was injured, but a lot of people in the Underfall Yard community have been impacted: Our staff, our tenants, our volunteers and our neighbours on Avon Crescent and Nova Scotia Place, and our hearts are with them.

“We are grateful for everyone's cooperation, particularly those who were evacuated as the fire service fought the fire. We are so grateful to the fire service who stopped this being a greater disaster and for the support of the Harbour Master Team,” they added.

The Harbourmaster and his team have been overnight and throughout the day to minimise the fire, then the pollution from the burned out boats. The Underfall Yard Trust said they were ‘absolutely committed’ to seeing the yard restored.

“The Underfall Yard Trust was formed in the 1990s to bring the Underfall Yard out of dereliction, to look after the historic buildings, to shine a light on Bristol's engineering harbour heritage and to promote traditional marine skills,” they said. “In light of the devastation at the Yard, those aims remain as relevant now as they were then. We are absolutely committed to rebuilding the Underfall Yard and continuing the charity's work,” they added.

Avon Fire and Rescue attend the scene (PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)

Local councillor Patrick McAllister (Green, Harbourside) has been on scene too, with Central councillor Ani Stafford-Townsend. “We’ve been speaking to boat and harbour users this morning following this devastating fire,” they said. “We will be working with the community to ensure the harbour has safe and rapid responses, learning from this event.”

Bristol’s Mayor, Marvin Rees, thanks fire and police for limiting the damage and making sure everyone was safe. A number of residents of the homes that back onto Underfall Yard were evacuated, but allowed to return later in the morning.

“My thanks to Avon Fire and Rescue and the police, and all who evacuated people and responded to the serious fire at Underfall Yard overnight,” Mr Rees said. “We continue to make every effort to support those affected. We will assess the damage, and work to restore this important part of our working docks,” he added.

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