A man converting an old lifeboat into a houseboat set its insulation on fire on Kingston riverside on Saturday.
Fire crews from Twickenham found the 'double-skinned lifeboat' - which they said was once used on oil rigs - alight at around 3pm, although the fire was already mostly under control.
The cause of the fire was unknown, and no-one was hurt.
Firefighters cut away at parts of the still-smouldering insulation to ensure the fire did not spread to the rest of the hull.
A Twickenham fire station spokesman said: "Everyone knows it's important to have smoke alarms in their homes.
"But I would like to remind boat owners who reside on their boats that it is equally important for them to fit working smoke alarms, too."
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