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Sport fishing boat being removed from water after New Year's Eve explosions

67-year-old man suffers first-degree burns

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A sport fishing boat is in the process of being removed from the water, a day after it was scorched in a series of explosions.

The boat is expected to be towed to Cable Marine Tuesday night. 

Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan, a spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department, said the fire started around 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Bahia Mar marina in the 800 block of Seabreeze Boulevard.

Firefighters arrived on the scene in about 4 minutes, pulling a 300-foot fire hose down the dock to prevent the fire from spreading to other vessels.

No description found

Some boat owners also scrambled to move their boats before the flames spread. 

"It's getting hot. That heat is going to melt your boat," one boat owner said. 

Authorities said a 67-year-old man who was on the boat suffered first-degree burns and was taken to Broward Health Medical Center.

Gollan said the man was working on the 2007 48-foot Viking yacht when two explosions occurred on board.

The man's dog was also aboard the boat, but escaped unharmed, Gollan said.

Cellphone video shows the man jumping from the sport fishing boat onto the dock as the fire rages on the boat.

Sky 10 was above the scene as firefighters used foam and water to contain the blaze. The sport fishing boat sank into the water as heavy smoke and flames poured out of the boat.

By 5:30 p.m., firefighters had the fire under control. Firefighters erected a barrier in the water to contain fuel leaking from the boat, which was carrying about 1,000 gallons.

Investigators are still determining what caused the explosions.


About the Authors
Sanela Sabovic headshot

Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer. In August 2015, she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter. Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio, television and film from DePaul University.

Saira Anwer headshot

Saira Anwer joined the Local 10 News team in July 2018. Saira is two-time Emmy-nominated reporter and comes to South Florida from Madison, Wisconsin, where she was working as a reporter and anchor.

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