3 boats sink after fire at Algoma Marina

ALGOMA- Three boats sank in  a Thursday morning fire that damaged five vessels docked at the Algoma Marina, 60 Steele St.

The fire was called in at about midnight. Firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard were on the scene throughout the night.

"When we got on scene, we had heavy fire involvement in three boats, and as the fire load spread to adjacent boats, it ended up we have substantial fire damage to five different boats in the marina," Fire Chief Tom Ackerman said.

Four of the boats belonged to one person, and the fifth had a single owner, Ackerman said.

Several bystanders took photos and videos of the fire, and "they graciously shared that," he said. That helped authorities to determine the boat where the fire started.

A salvage company arrived later to remove the boats from the water, Ackerman said. The fire investigation would continue on land to try to pinpoint a cause.

Four of the five boats damaged were owned by Troy Mattson and Bret Cook at Kinn's Sports Fishing in Algoma.

The fire left the company with seven boats for the remainder of the season, but other charter services have offered to lend him boats if needed, Mattson said. The fire is believed to have been started by a short in an electrical system in one of the boats but it remains under investigation.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan Command Center received a call from the Coast Guard station based in Sturgeon Bay about four recreational boats, later five, that were on fire at the Algoma Marina, said Ensign Zach Hall, public affairs officer for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard was on scene to help avoid any possible environmental impact from sinking boats or leaking fuel or oil, Hall said. Booms were used to stop the possible spread of any pollutants, and the marina was closed for the time being.

“We’re there monitoring the situation right now and the monitoring is ongoing," Hall said. So far no pollution has been detected.

If anyone sees an example of a sheen or smell diesel fuel in the area outside the boomed-off area, contact Sector Lake at 414-747-7182.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press Gazette: 3 boats sink after fire at Algoma Marina