Experts were probing the cause of a blaze which destroyed a pleasure cruiser and badly damaged four other boats.

Fire crews from Canvey risked exploding cylinders of propane gas as they tackled the fire at Halcon boatyard off Point Road early Monday.

A man was later taken to Basildon Hospital suffering from minor burns, the effects of smoke inhalation and hypothermia after he leapt off his pleasure boat as the blaze took hold.

The 65-year-old was only wearing a T-shirt when he fled his steel-hulled boat called Morning Mist at around 6.30am.

Firefighters, who arrived on the scene shortly after, battled searing heat and heavy smoke as the fire spread to neighbouring boats.

Leading firefighter Kevin Mockler, from Canvey fire station, said: "Two other boats involved in the fire were made of fibreglass which burns very quickly. It can just burn boats into nothing.

"The boat Morning Mist also contained gas cylinders which clearly made us very concerned.

"We had to be careful of the cylinders because propane can be a potential bomb."

Two fibreglass boats were gutted in the blaze and a dinghy and a small motor cruiser were badly damaged.

Although it was thought the blaze started accidentally, police and fire investigators were today looking into the cause of the blaze.

A police spokesman said: "It would appear the injured man was asleep on one of the boats and had a diesel fuel heater on.

"It is possible the fire was started by the heater, but we have not been able to confirm this yet."

He said experts would be sifting through the debris of the boats to establish the exact cause.

Harbourmaster Dave Powell said the marina, linked with the Island Yacht Club, had around 250 boats either moored up or dry-docked.

He said: "It'll mean a busy day."

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