Just six months after Storm Emma caused devastation at Holyhead Marina, a fire has destroyed an engineering workshop on the site in Anglesey.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it has now started an investigation into the cause of the blaze, which took nearly three hours to put out last night.

Nearby buildings, including Holyhead RNLI, also suffered heat damage in the incident which involved the crews of four fire appliances and required the use of an aerial ladder platform.

There are no reports of any casualties and no boats were damaged. Holyhead Port was not affected by the incident.

Speaking to Yachting Monthly, the co-owner and junior director at Holyhead Marina, Geoff Garrod, said services should be back in a few days.

‘It is just a clean up job. We have secured the building and will use our other workshop in the meantime. The 3 phase power went, as the main distribution was in the workshop which fed the winches at the top of the slipway, but we are getting a generator in and it should be up and running in a few days,’ he said.

He said the marina had lost tools and other equipment.

The workshop was a listed building, and was previously used as a Trinity House Buoy Maintenance Depot.

Garrod said that while there had been damage inside, the building will be restored and would be ‘ the centrepiece of our marina development plans’.

‘These things come in threes so we are waiting for the next one,’ he added, wryly.

Continues below…

Holyhead Marina: salvage of boats begins

Holyhead Sailing Club pays tribute to the 'fantastic contribution' made by members and the wider community following the damage to…

Holyhead RNLI moved their inshore lifeboat (ILB) when the fire started, and it is now back in operation again.

On Twitter, Holyhead RNLI posted: ‘Further update: our lifeboats are now both on service. Our ILB is back at the station after safety clearance from the fire service. There is a lot of damage in the immediate area but as far as we’re aware there have been no casualties. Thank you all for your concern.’

No boats were damaged in the blaze. Credit: Holyhead RNLI

The MP for Holyhead, Albert Owen MP paid tribute to the emergency services for their professionalism.

‘I have spoken to both the owners of the property and the port authority and they are awaiting an incident report as to the causes of the fire,’ he said.

‘This is the second major incident in the area this year and I trust it will be met with the same strong resilience by those directly involved and the local community. I will work with them and others in the coming weeks in promoting the area for local businesses, the local community and visitors,’ added the MP.

Just six months ago, Holyhead Marina was devastated when Storm Emma ripped through the marina on 2 March 2018. At least 85 boats were sunk or damaged as a result.

Pollution from the wrecks and the marina also affected miles of the Anglesey coastline, with reports of debris reaching the shores of Ireland.

The clean-up and salvage operation has taken months, with many of the yachts being recovered.

In May, the Welsh Government announced it was making available £100,000, with £30,000 going towards the cost of the clean-up and £70,000 being made available to help businesses affected as a result of the damage.

An estimated 40 tonnes of polystyrene and 3,000 litres of oil have been recovered from the marina and neighbouring beaches since the storm.