George, the boat, and I are safe. The Red Cross has several of us in the Days Inn as the entire marina has been declared a HAZMAT AREA. We will not be permitted back on our boats for two days - for now. May lose my refrigerator load of food, but some people lost their homes and all their records - escaping with their lives. Over 30 boats were consumed by an unbelievable conflagration. The shed area was fully involved in under 10 minutes - but escape was not possible after 5 minutes. I've been up all night and just got in my motel room. Fire was stopped 4 boats from my boat. Everything past that point is gone. Two people with minor burns and one in the hospital for hypothermia.
The Bunyon Volunteer Fire Department was magnificent having recently developed techniques to move large volumes of water over long distances to fight marina fires. They ran a 5 inch hose along with two conventional 3 inch hoses 4 boats past me and made their stand there. Chocowinity VFD coupled two pumpers to produce enough pressure to fire across the fairway from an adjacent pier and attack a boat on fire towards the end of our pier. The boats in the shed were fully involved and beyond hope instantly. The fire started in the shorepower inlet on a Mainship power boat next to a friend's houseboat. He escaped in bare feet and long johns having foolishly tried to fight the fire with a disconnected garden hose. His finger pier went up in flames preventing his return to his home for a single possession. A neighbor alerted me and came back to ensure that George and I were getting off the boat. As we disembarked, the houseboat owner was standing on the ice-coated pier in bare feet. He had come back from the shore to confirm that George and I got off! The man is around 80 and has lost everything. I had contemplated losing everything as I watched the fire advance from the destroyed shed towards us - what can you do but cheer on the fire fighters. The Bath VFD responded in under 20 minutes. It takes me 20 minutes to drive there in my car! They told me that they encountered no traffic. Mike, the neighbor who alerted us was thinking about getting his boat out. I encouraged him to do it. He did and proceeded to rescue 3 people on the outside end of our pier - just outside the shed. They burned their hands slipping their lines and Mike hip-towed their sailboat away from the burning dock and saved the woman who had jumped in the water in understandable panic. I worked with two Sheriff's deputies to remove two liveaboards from an adjacent dock. One was confused and resisted, but not for long! I informed the firefighters which boats had gas engines and they directed a heavy mist nozzle to keep those boats cool. As a result,. there were no explosions. The Red Cross was there in a large ambulance type truck with coffee and food. Terrific people. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office was there in strength and performed in a professional and caring manner. The Hobucken USCG arrived to cope with the pollution and a boom is now surrounding the entire marina. Al Golden's insurance company called me to see if we were OK and if there was anything they could do! Me sleep now. Ron Rogers
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