WOW, Ron!!!
First of all, I'm sure I speak for the rest of the list to say how thankful we
are you weren't hurt or lost anything. I just went onto the Washington Daily
News website and couldn't believe the devastation shown in the pictures! From
both one picture showing the flames at the height of the fire (sounded like it
was taken around 0100 this morning) and the burnt out hulks of boats and
charred timbers from the piers you should consider yourself extremely lucky!
There was an interesting part of the article which described how the Bunyon VFD
developed a method of ganging together a couple of pumpers in order to create
enough pressure over a long run of hose. Evidently they had given the
possibility of a marina fire some thought and designed the system they put into
play to put out your fire. Obviously they're on top of their game.
Let us know how things work out....
Steve
Steve Weinstein
S/V CAPTIVA
1997 Hunter 376, Hull #376
Sailing out of Oyster Bay, NY
All outgoing mail protected by VIPRE A/V
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron Rogers
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 12:57 PM
Subject: [Liveaboard] MARINA FIRE! LESSON LEARNED - EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!!!
YOU CANNOT IMAGINE HOW FAST IT SPREADS.
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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