Three fire crews tackled a fire on a fishing boat in Stornoway harbour yesterday afternoon.
Firefighters donned breathing kits to extinguish the blaze which took hold onboard the MF Windy Isle.
One local said welding work was being undertaken in the engine compartment underneath the main deck when sparks set an oily rubber mat alight.
Water jets and four breathing apparatus sets were used to prevent the flames from spreading to the fibreglass hull of the 9.75metre long creel boat which was berthed amongst other vessels at Lazy Corner in the port’s inner harbour.
With the forecast of impending severe weather and rough seas, the majority of vessels in the Stornoway fishing were docked in the harbour.
Two Stornoway fire crews rushed to the incident after the alarm was raised around 1.30pm. A third fire appliance from Ness was called in to assist.
Water used to fight the blaze was later pumped out of the vessel’s bilges into shore side tanks by firemen.
Coastguard and police also attended the incident at the 25-year-old local shellfish boat which works out of the harbour.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said island firefighters and three appliances responded to a fire in the engine room of a fishing boat.
The alarm was raised at 1.33pm and the stop message came in at 3.56pm.