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| Crews tackle fire on 'ghost ship' | Crews tackle fire on 'ghost ship' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Up to 50 firefighters tackled a fire on a so-called "ghost ship" being dismantled at a yard on Teesside. | |
| Crews battled flames on the former French aircraft carrier Clemenceau in Hartlepool for more than two hours. | |
| Able UK said 70 people had been working on the ship when the fire broke out. There are no reported injuries and the fire was not thought to be toxic. | |
| A Cleveland Fire Brigade spokesman said the fire, which was contained within three compartments, started in cabling. | |
| Emergency services, including police, ambulance and a rescue boat, attended the scene when the alert was raised at 0910 GMT. | |
| Cleveland Police said approach roads to the yard had been closed. | |
| 'No public risk' | |
| Neil Etherington, of Able UK, said an investigation was under way into the cause of the fire at the Seaton Port facility. | |
| He said: "At this stage it is too early to say exactly what happened, but obviously we have already begun investigations, working with the fire service and other agencies. | |
| "It is always unfortunate when an incident of this kind occurs but we are pleased that our well-rehearsed emergency procedures worked well and that the fire was brought under control with no risk to the public and with no injuries to any personnel." | |
| The Clemenceau, which arrived at the dry dock a year ago, was turned away by India and Egypt for being too toxic to be broken up. | |
| Able UK said the project to dismantle the 32,700-tonne Clemenceau is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. | Able UK said the project to dismantle the 32,700-tonne Clemenceau is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. |
| Work on the vessel is taking place alongside existing contracts to scrap four former US naval vessels which arrived on Teesside in 2004. | Work on the vessel is taking place alongside existing contracts to scrap four former US naval vessels which arrived on Teesside in 2004. |
| Toxic elements | |
| Able UK, which overcame environmental concerns over its recycling plans last year, says operating in a dry dock is the easiest and most environmentally-sound way of carrying out the work. | Able UK, which overcame environmental concerns over its recycling plans last year, says operating in a dry dock is the easiest and most environmentally-sound way of carrying out the work. |
| According to Able UK, the 255-metre Clemenceau contains 700 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated materials. | According to Able UK, the 255-metre Clemenceau contains 700 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated materials. |
| It was recalled to France from India in 2006 amid concerns over its toxic elements. | It was recalled to France from India in 2006 amid concerns over its toxic elements. |
| The Clemenceau, once the pride of the French navy, spent its final few years being moved around as officials tried to find a final resting place for the vessel. | The Clemenceau, once the pride of the French navy, spent its final few years being moved around as officials tried to find a final resting place for the vessel. |
| Launched in 1957, it sailed more than a million nautical miles and saw service in Lebanon, the first Gulf War and the Balkans before being decommissioned in 1997. | Launched in 1957, it sailed more than a million nautical miles and saw service in Lebanon, the first Gulf War and the Balkans before being decommissioned in 1997. |