A massive fire broke out overnight at a yacht club in Winthrop, Massachusetts, destroying at least a dozen boats.
Winthrop Fire Chief Stephen Calandra said the department received a call shortly after 2:30 a.m. for six boats on fire at the Cottage Park Yacht Club on Orlando Avenue. Flames spread to six other boats in Boston Harbor, with at least 12 boats lost that the chief said were very expensive, high-end value vessels.
All of the boats were unoccupied, according to Calandra, who said they confirmed with yacht club staff. No injuries have been reported. Massachusetts State Police are on scene.
The chief said a challenge was running the hose lines from the street to the furthest point of the marina, requiring a lot of man power. He said they received great assistance from the marine units of Boston, Everett and Massport, who helped them contain the fire and keep it away from the building.
Two boats broke free, and one was still burning on Snake Island, according to Calandra, who said crews were unable to access it at the time due to low tide. The other boat ran aground on Point Shirley but is burnt out.
When asked how the fire spread like this, Calandra said, “Gasoline on top of the water, and the whole decking is composite Trex, so when that starts burning, it’s not like wood, wood you can put out easy. This stuff just keeps burning.”
“The only way to put the fire out with gasoline on top of the water is foam, that’s the most effective way. That’s what knocked it down,” he added.
There are environmental concerns after this fire, according to the chief. The Coast Guard cleanup team was on its way, along with environmental police. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection was notified.
WBTS-CD NBC 10 Boston
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