Five members of a tribal fishing vessel escaped following the boat exploding which led to a subsequent fire the evening of July 22 near Waterman Pier in Port Orchard, per South Kitsap Fire & Rescue.

SKF&R units were dispatched to a water rescue response following multiple callers reporting that there was a vessel that had an explosion and fire on board. The five individuals on the boat, some who sustained potential injuries, were retrieved by another vessel and were transported to the Port Orchard public boat launch for assistance, per SKF&R. No one from the vessel was transported by ambulance.

Bremerton Fire Marine 20 and Bainbridge Island Fire Department Marine 21 also responded to assist with the firefighting efforts.

“To always ensure safety while operating watercraft, have enough personal floatation devices for everyone on board, a marine radio, safety flares, and a fire extinguisher,” an SKF&R news release states. “While the vessel we encountered last night had all of these, the nature of the incident didn’t allow for the use of these items.”

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the explosion. Preliminary information indicates the explosion was accidental.