Six boats and their housing sheds were destroyed by a fierce fire early Sunday, March 20 at the Port Orchard Yacht Club.
South Kitsap Fire and Rescue, and fire crews from Bremerton, Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap fought the fire aggressively and were able to stave off additional damage to vessels, SKFR reported.
The two-alarm fire at the yacht club was first reported at 2:59 a.m., according to SKFR. At that time, an SKFR medic van was transporting a patient to Harrison Medical Center when the driver spotted the marina fire.
Calls from yacht club tenants soon flooded the 911 Communications Center.
As the fire raged, fire units were joined by the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Ecology to contain marine fuels leaking into the waters off Port Orchard.
The state Ecology Department estimated that up to 2,000 gallons of marine fuels and oil was released into the water from boats that had burned and sunk.
Marine crews from the Bremerton and Poulsbo police departments, North Mason Regional Fire Authority in Belfair and the Puget Sound Federal Fire also assisted in dousing the fire just before 5 a.m.
According to a statement from SKFR, quick action by firefighting crews spared the marina a much larger fire.
SKFR also stated that 38 vessels and their housing sheds were saved from fire damage by firefighters.
“The fire was quickly spreading and had involved three to four vessels before water could be applied by the firefighters,” Jeff Faucett, SKFR division chief, said.
“The firefighters worked very hard to stop the spread of the fire and prevented a more significant loss to the public.”
Absorbent pads and a boom line were deployed into the water to halt the spread of pollutants. Cleanup, however, was slowed by debris floating on top of the oil-sheen-covered water.
The Kitsap County Fire Marshal has begun investigating the scene.
SKFR said on Twitter Sunday that command staff is now developing a long-term containment plan.
Note: The printed article in the Independent stated the fire took place on March 21. The fire happened early morning Sunday, March 20.
South Kitsap Fire and Rescue, and fire crews from Bremerton, Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap fought the fire aggressively and were able to stave off additional damage to vessels, SKFR reported.
The two-alarm fire at the yacht club was first reported at 2:59 a.m., according to SKFR. At that time, a SKFR medic van was transporting a patient to Harrison Medical Center when the driver spotted the marina fire.
Calls from yacht club tenants soon flooded the 911 Communications Center.
As the fire raged, fire units were joined by the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Ecology to contain marine fuels leaking into the waters off Port Orchard.
The state Ecology Department estimated that up to 2,000 gallons of marine fuels and oil was released into the water from boats that had burned and sunk.
Marine crews from the Bremerton and Poulsbo police departments, North Mason Regional Fire Authority in Belfair and the Puget Sound Federal Fire also assisted in dousing the fire just before 5 a.m.
According to a statement from SKFR, quick action by firefighting crews spared the marina a much larger fire.
SKFR also stated that 38 vessels and their housing sheds were saved from fire damage by firefighters.
“The fire was quickly spreading and had involved three to four vessels before water could be applied by the firefighters,” Jeff Faucett, SKFR division chief, said.
“The firefighters worked very hard to stop the spread of the fire and prevented a more significant loss to the public.”
Absorbent pads and a boom line were deployed into the water to halt the spread of pollutants. Cleanup, however, was slowed by debris floating on top of the oil-sheen-covered water.
The Kitsap County Fire Marshal has begun investigating the scene.
SKFR said on Twitter Sunday that command staff is now developing a long-term containment plan.
