Port Royal boat fire draws ‘full structure’ response, firefighters say
A Friday afternoon fire that began on a boat docked at the Port Royal Landing Marina is under investigation, according to the town fire department.
Just after 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 13, the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department and Beaufort Water Search and Rescue responded to the blaze, which had engulfed a large boat and threatened to burn surrounding vessels. Deputy Chief of Operations Ross Vezin said wind helped spread the fire to a nearby, smaller boat before the fire was extinguished.
Firefighters were on the scene for roughly two hours before the flames died. The fire also damaged “one or two smaller boats,” Vezin said. No injuries were reported.
While the department’s usual response to a boat fire is to dispatch a battalion chief and two trucks, Vezin said the size of the boat and presence of other boats nearby necessitated a “structure fire response,” bringing an additional truck to the scene.
Electrical problems are the most common cause of boat fires, Vezin said, but the source of Friday’s fire is still under investigation.
This story was originally published January 14, 2023 at 11:23 AM.
