CORTEZ – At about 3:45 p.m. Monday afternoon, personnel from West Manatee Fire Rescue and Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue responded to a boat fire at the Cortez Cove Marina, 4522 121st St. W. in Cortez.
WMFR Fire Chief Ben Rigney said the fire occurred on a 72-foot Princess yacht that was out of the water and up on jacks when the fire occurred.
When contacted again at 5:03 p.m. Rigney said the fire was contained but not completely extinguished.
“We have it knocked it down pretty good, but it’s fiberglass so it will burn for a while. It’s on jacks so we have to let it fill up and then let the water drain out and then do it again because we don’t want to put too much stress on the jacks and have the boat fall over. It’ll be a long, slow process, but you shouldn’t be able to see the smoke anymore,” Rigney said.
Rigney said the fire was contained to that yacht only and there were no injuries and no damage to the marina buildings.
Rigney said Sea Tow diked the area to prevent water runoff and the Coast Guard was notified as well.
“We had a quick knockdown and did a good of containing this to the one boat. Now it’s just a slow process making sure it’s out,” Rigney said.
