Ten boats ablaze off Mandeville Island

By Bay City News

August 22, 2007

Ten vessels ranging from houseboats, to tug boats, sailing boats and barges are reportedly burning off Mandeville Island east of Antioch, and two more are threatened, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The fire was reported at 7:15 a.m., and the boats' owner remained on one vessel despite the Coast Guard's attempts to rescue him.

"(The owner didn't) want to leave his boat," Coast Guard Lt. Anya Hunter said.

The Coast Guard was the only unit on scene fighting the fires since that area is not within the local fire department's jurisdiction, Hunter said.

"We only do fire fighting to save a life because we don't have the resources to fight fires," Hunter said.

The man's 12 boats are tied up together and very close to the land, according to Hunter.

Hunter said the owner was picked up by a friend and taken safely to land. The Coast Guard lacks the proper resources to continue battling the blaze now that the man is onshore, Hunter added.

"(But) we want to talk with him so we can figure out what caused the fires," Hunter said.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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