The Cutty Sark Trust has welcomed the police report into the cause of the fire that badly damaged the 19th-century tea clipper in May 2007.
Chief executive Richard Doughty said: "They clearly undertook a very thorough investigation. We need time to consider the contents of the detailed police report."
The investigation discovered that the blaze was sparked by an industrial vacuum cleaner that overheated after being left switched on for two days. It was reportedly left on site by renovation staff.
Doughty declined to say whether he would be taking action against Heery, the construction management company in charge of the site. But he said that following the report, the charity would be considering its position with its lawyers.
A Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) spokeswoman defended its decision to allocate £10m extra funding to the trust in January before the findings of the police inquiry came to light. "Any delay in the decision would clearly have had a detrimental effect on the project, forcing it into a 'mothballing' scenario, which would have seen a significant increase in costs," she said.
The HLF has awarded £23m to the Cutty Sark restoration project in total. The ship will be suspended 10 feet above the bottom of the dry dock in Greenwich, which will allow visitors to walk underneath.
Doughty anticipates that the Cutty Sark will be lifted in March 2010 and reopen later that summer.
Chief executive Richard Doughty said: "They clearly undertook a very thorough investigation. We need time to consider the contents of the detailed police report."
The investigation discovered that the blaze was sparked by an industrial vacuum cleaner that overheated after being left switched on for two days. It was reportedly left on site by renovation staff.
Doughty declined to say whether he would be taking action against Heery, the construction management company in charge of the site. But he said that following the report, the charity would be considering its position with its lawyers.
A Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) spokeswoman defended its decision to allocate £10m extra funding to the trust in January before the findings of the police inquiry came to light. "Any delay in the decision would clearly have had a detrimental effect on the project, forcing it into a 'mothballing' scenario, which would have seen a significant increase in costs," she said.
The HLF has awarded £23m to the Cutty Sark restoration project in total. The ship will be suspended 10 feet above the bottom of the dry dock in Greenwich, which will allow visitors to walk underneath.
Doughty anticipates that the Cutty Sark will be lifted in March 2010 and reopen later that summer.
Cutty Sark timeline
September 2006: the HLF awards a grant of £13m for the restoration of the Cutty Sark.
May 2007: the tea clipper is badly burned in a fire.
January 2008: the HLF awards an extra £10m "uplift" grant to cover the cost of renovating the Cutty Sark.
June 2008: shipping magnate Sammy Ofer donates £3.3m, which means the Cutty Sark Trust has almost reached its project target of £35m (with £23m from the HLF and £8m in donations).
September 2008: police say an industrial vacuum cleaner caused the fire.
Summer 2010: due to reopen.
September 2006: the HLF awards a grant of £13m for the restoration of the Cutty Sark.
May 2007: the tea clipper is badly burned in a fire.
January 2008: the HLF awards an extra £10m "uplift" grant to cover the cost of renovating the Cutty Sark.
June 2008: shipping magnate Sammy Ofer donates £3.3m, which means the Cutty Sark Trust has almost reached its project target of £35m (with £23m from the HLF and £8m in donations).
September 2008: police say an industrial vacuum cleaner caused the fire.
Summer 2010: due to reopen.