8 dead in marina fire. RIP

[South of Heaven]

This is tragic....RIP

https://www.cbs46.com/at-least-dead-in-marina-boat-dock-fire-in-alabama/video_a9b9723b-144a-5afe-84fe-ffaaf90a6f2f.html

[hardee]

I saw this on the news and yes it is tragic. RIP for those 8 and prayers for their families. Marina fires are one of the toughest fires to fight.

Harvey
SleepyC

[thataway]

This fire happened a week ago. It was in Jackson County Park Marina. There are a lot of lessons which can be learned from this tragedy.

The boats were mostly houseboats, with a number of live aboard. There was a wooden timber shed, with wooden docks. The low metal roof didn't have any way to allow hot gases to vent. This type of marina is not permitted under current TVA codes. However older marinas are grandfathered in.

During our last two Sept. trips, down the Cumberland and up the Tennessee River, we stopped in a number of various types marinas. For the most part they were much safer:

Modern marinas have supports are made of steel or aluminum. Docks are made of concrete or plastics. Pilings are concrete or steel. Roofs are vented sheet metal, and some have "blow out panels" over the boats. Only one I recollect had a sprinkler system.

Once the fire is going--it does not take long to cut off any escape route to shore. The hot gasses from the fire are trapped under the metal roof, and go sideways, creating their own wind/firestorm instead of up out of the shed. This pushed the fire toward other boats. The fire is thought to have started with the first boat. Speculation is that it was an electrical fire. Others who had used the marina complained of wiring issues at the dock. Because it was cold, space heaters were being used. Once the first boat was fully engulfed those on shore (fire fighters and rescue personal,) could not get onto the dock. Those on the dock had to run to the outer end. They boarded a boat or jumped into the 50* water. A rescue boat was able to get those on the end/in last boat off the dock and safely to shore. Those in the water had a significant swim, since it was some ways to shore, and no adjacent dock.

What should we do? When you arrive at a marina look for exits just as you should when you anchor. How would you get your boat away from the dock quickly? We carry a very sharp machete just inside of the pilot house door. This would cut the line with one or two swipes. Or you could sacrifice your lines--always leave enough slack so you could pull the loop off the cleat, rather than trying to get onto the dock. We have come to a marina which didn't appear safe, and moved on.

Look to see where fire mains are on land and on the dock. Are there pressurized fire fighting stations or just a standpipe with hoses on the docks, which the pumper has to hook up to?

Save your life first, other's lives if possible, and then the boat.

Fighting a boat fire, unless very small, with a garden hose, or even a typical fire extinguisher is futile, and maybe fatal... Toxic gasses are formed. The polyester resin burns well. (Some Uniflights and Valant boats were made with fire resistant resins, and had massive osmosis issues). Also several resins were made with halogen compounds which gave very toxic gases as it became heated. So assume that your boat will burn easily. Most production boats do not have fire retardant resins.

Locate the fire alarm boxes and extinguishers to see if they are functional (you may have to ask).

Avoid dangerous marinas. (Wooden docks and supports, non vented roof, and get a slip closer to the end or an end tie.). If the marina looks unsafe to you, it probably is...Anchor or move on.

Sleep within reach of your cell phone. We also have a remote mike for the VHF radio at the head of my bunk. If you see danger (fire, flood, tsunami etc blow 5 blasts on the horn after you have called 911. If the compressed gas canister horn is louder sound 5 blasts on it. 5 blast is the danger signal (or you don't understand the other boat's intent). A big air horn helps. A loud hailer to call out at full volume "fire" or other danger. You want to wake up those sleeping soon their boats. (It appears that some of those killed never got off their boats--it is possible that toxic gas killed them before their boat was involved in fire ?.

Lets hope we all never have to deal with a fire at sea. I have had to only once where I could help. We were moored at Emerald Bay, Catalina when I heard screams early in the morning. It was obvious that there was fire coming out of the hatch of a chartered Catalina 30 next to us. Jumped in the dinghy, made sure the people were out of harms way, and established that the source of the fire was from an alcohol stove which had a pressure tank feeding the burners. I was able to release the pressure from the tank (which fortunately was under a cockpit hatch), and we started throwing buckets of ocean water on the materials which were on fire. (By this time several others had joined us). We did immediate first aid and got in touch with "Bay Watch" lifeguard/ paramedic unit at the Isthmus. They arrived in about 20 minutes and transported the victims to a point where a chopper could take them to a burn unit. We were able to contact the "boat club" who owned the boat, and they sent a power boat to tow the sailboat boat back to Marina Del Ray. Fortunately very few boats have pressure fed alcohol stoves. Let alone one with an over and flexible tubing connecting the tank and stove--bad design!

Be safe!

[South of Heaven]

Yeah, Ive often wondered about the safety of those covered boat houses. I've even seen some (online) with doors in the front so essentially the boat is completely "trapped".

On a side note why do so many southern marinas have roofs? To protect against UV and rain? I never really understood the function of them....other than to be dry and out of the sun I guess.

We've had several liveaboard fires in Boston over the past few years. Scary, scary stuff......

[thataway]

There are probably more "shed marinas" in the River and Lakes of heartland America than in Florida. Sailboats don't work well in covered marinas. Large yachts also are an issue. Some are floating and some are fixed. Pensacola had a fire which destroyed about 20 boats about 22 years ago. The sheds were rebuilt exactly the same, with wooden pilings, wooden structure, and unvented tin roof--also covered fully on both sides! One of the boats on fire was pulled out, using a grapling iron with a rope (should be cable or chain) and the CG lost control and it started a fire on the other side of the harbor entrance (quickly put out, by an engine company which had moved there "just in case".)

There are also the dry storage stacks--up to 5 high--and some take boats over 30 feet long. Get a fire going in one of those, and it is often a total loss. One of our dry stacks has had two major fires in the last 7 years!

You are correct that the roof is to keep the boat and its crew looking better and out of the sun/rain. My friend who has the 56 foot Carver (up grade form his 50 foot houseboat), and some of his friends rent an extra 60' slip. They put their PWC's, wake board and ski boats toward the back. By the gangway, there is a bar, large screen TV, Fans, refrigeration, and a grill. Lots of sofa's and easy chairs on a barge, all under the shed.

One of the other issues with the sheds are the spiders. Several marinas we stayed at had a gal who went around each morning to remove spider Webs!

[ssobol]

[localboy]

Horrific. And 5 of them from one family. Makes me consider a smoke detector, especially if one lived aboard. This was discussed on Trawler Forum. Someone said the marina was old and mentioned issues with electrical infrastructure.

Dr Bob mentions some thoughts on pre-planning. I would agree. I try to always consider it whenever I'm in a new, strange environment. Just as you would when riding on a modern jet, take a good look around and consider what you would do if the "worst" happened. My wife even knows that whenever we eat out, I always face the door, if possible. She never takes that seat. Call it paranoia or training or a habit. It comes from my LE background.