State Investigators Fail To Find Cause Of Fire On Catamaran
By DERRICK PERKINS
August 29, 2017
Falmouth Inner Harbor, Mass.
State investigators failed to pinpoint a cause of the three-alarm fire aboard a catamaran docked in Falmouth Inner Harbor in July, but deemed it likely accidental.
Firefighters responded to the blaze about 1:43 AM on July 11, treating one crew member of Best Revenge 5 for serious burn injuries. Six area fire departments pitched in during the hours-long struggle to contain the conflagration.
The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services took the lead in the investigation following the blaze. Spokesman Jennifer Mieth said investigators concluded the fire began inside the 65-foot vessel, which was tied up at MacDougalls’ Cape Cod Marine Services, Inc.
Authorities said a lightning strike several weeks earlier may have played a role, damaging the ship’s electrical or mechanical systems.
Officials estimate the fire caused $2 million in damages.
Town hall has filed an insurance claim for $33,456.33 in damages to Falmouth’s shellfish program. Marine and environmental services personnel moved about 1 million juvenile shellfish out of upwellers in the harbor after the catamaran began leaking diesel fuel.
Town officials estimate the incident left 150,000 shellfish, worth roughly $28,500, dead.
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Falmouth Inner Harbor, Mass.
State investigators are focusing their investigation into a three-alarm fire July 11 aboard a catamaran docked in Falmouth on potential accidental causes.
There is no timeline for when the investigation into the blaze, which left a crew member injured, will be concluded, said Jennifer Mieth, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Specially-trained troopers with the Massachusetts State Police are leading the probe, she said.
The blaze aboard the 65-foot catamaran, named Best Revenge 5, docked at MacDougalls’ Cape Cod Marine Services, Inc., began about 1:45 AM. It posed a significant challenge to firefighters while stretching Falmouth’s emergency responders thin, Deputy Fire Chief Timothy R. Smith said.
The immediate challenges were treating the injured crew member and determining how to get firefighting equipment down the narrow pier and close to the burning ship, he said. Early responders quickly realized that two motorized vessels docked adjacent to the catamaran also were in danger of catching fire. Manpower and resources were diverted to keep those vessels from catching fire, which could have started a domino effect, Deputy Chief Smith said.
Then there was the fiberglass that made up much of the catamaran. The material burns hot and spews noxious smoke, forcing firefighters to wear self-contained breathing apparatus while working to control the fire. Adding to the complexities was the presence of “trip hazards” on the pier, said Deputy Chief Smith, and the potential to fall into the seawater on either side.
“On and off during the fire your vision is obscured because of the intense smoke, and the other thing is they’re wearing heavy gear … and there’s equipment and hose lines scattered all over the place,” he said. “Nobody fell in. That was, obviously, a positive thing that we didn’t have any problems trying to work there. Everybody was very cognizant of the surroundings.”
Firefighters had the blaze under control after about 90 minutes, officials said. To do so, Falmouth’s first responders required mutual aid from fire departments across the region, including Joint Base Cape Cod. The harbormaster’s office and US Coast Guard also responded to the fire.
Deputy Chief Smith did not have an official estimate for the damages but said it likely numbered in the millions of dollars. The catamaran was worth a significant amount, he said, and the fire also marred the two nearby ships and pier.
The injured crew member initially went to Falmouth Hospital and later was airlifted to a Boston medical facility. Deputy Chief Smith said two people were aboard the catamaran when the fire began and escaped using separate routes. The other crew member came ashore uninjured, he said.
A Pocasset woman, listed as Kelly Andresen, set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the two victims. According to the website, the female victim suffered second and third-degree burns. The two lost most of their possessions in the fire, Ms. Andresen wrote.
As of Friday afternoon, the page had raised $32,670 of its $35,000 goal.
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FALMOUTH, Mass. (CBS) – One woman was rushed to the hospital early Tuesday morning after a huge fire destroyed a boat in a Falmouth marina.
Flames broke out on the 65-foot catamaran in MacDougalls’ Boatyard around 1:45 a.m. and quickly consumed the vessel, causing the mast to collapse into the water.
Gayle Kiley witnessed the fire.
“Directly outside of the window was just a giant mass of flames,” she recalled. “Watching that mast go down, that was the loudest part.”
The 65-foot catamaran was destroyed in the fire. (Image credit: Gayle Kiley)
There were two members of the crew at the scene when firefighters arrived. A woman was flown to a Boston hospital suffering from burns. At last check, she is in stable condition.
The other person was not hurt. It’s not clear yet if they were living on the boat.
“The crew was able to make it off of the boat with one member being treated and currently in stable condition. This is a tragic accident and we stand with the crew and support staff as they continue to work tirelessly to contain and repair the damage,” MacDougalls’ said in a statement.
The 65-foot catamaran was destroyed in the fire. (Image credit: David Curran – SatelliteNewsService.com)
Falmouth Deputy Fire Chief Michael Small said there were 350 gallons of fuel on board and it is now leaking into the harbor.
“We can actually see the diesel fuel bubbling out of it,” Small told reporters.
Absorbent pads were placed in the water the help soak up some of the fuel.
The 65-foot catamaran was destroyed in the fire. (Photo credit: David Curran – SatelliteNewsService.com)
Small added that it would take a great deal of time to remove the boat. While crews worked on it for hours, he said officials didn’t believe they would be finished on Tuesday.
There was no major damage to any other boats in the area.
The 65-foot catamaran was destroyed in the fire. (WBZ-TV)
There’s no word yet on what caused the fire.
Anyone headed to the marina Tuesday is asked to check into the office before going out on their boat. The Department of Environmental Protection also requested anyone planning to wash their boat to not use soap.