A disabled man and his service dog perished in a devastating canal boat fire during the early hours of Christmas Day in Greater Manchester. Emergency services rushed to Crooke Hall Moorings in Standish at approximately 3:30am on 25 December following reports of a vessel ablaze on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed the grim discovery in a statement: “Sadly, the body of a man and his service dog were found on the boat. Formal identification of the victim has yet to take place.”
Officers have secured the scene and launched an investigation into the fatal incident.
The ferocity of the blaze required a substantial emergency response, with three fire engines dispatched from Wigan and Hindley stations. Specialist units were also deployed, including the Technical Response Unit from Leigh and the Water Incident Unit based in Eccles.
Firefighters donned breathing apparatus to tackle the inferno, which was visible from considerable distance. Crews utilised hose reels, water personal protective equipment, throw lines and specialist lighting to bring the flames under control.
The operation proved lengthy and challenging, with fire service personnel remaining at the scene for roughly 13 hours and 15 minutes before the incident was fully resolved.
Crooke Hall Moorings sits within the small village of Crooke, positioned on a picturesque bend of the River Douglas roughly three miles from Wigan town centre.
The location features a private marina accommodating up to 90 vessels, alongside a canal-side pub offering visitor moorings.
Greater Manchester Police continue to conduct enquiries at the site, which remains cordoned off. Detectives have yet to complete formal identification procedures for the deceased man.
The cause of the Christmas morning blaze has not been disclosed, with investigators working to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal fire aboard the narrowboat.