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Boat still floating after fire in Campbell River

Vessel at Campbell River's government dock catches fire

No one was injured after a large boat caught fire in the early morning hours Thursday.

At 1:21 a.m., Campbell River firefighters were alerted to smoke billowing from a boat at the government wharf on Spit Road.

On arrival, fire crews discovered a 45-foot vessel with a significant fire in the engine compartment.

It took crews firefighters more than three hours to completely extinguish the fire.

“Fires on boats are very difficult to fight and present a significant risk to firefighters and the environment,” Deputy Fire Chief Chris Vrabel said. “There are many void spaces that a fire can spread to and firefighters entering these spaces do so with great risk to themselves.

There is also the risk of the boat sinking during firefighting operations, added Vrabel, as electrical systems and the boat’s structure can be damaged, leading to water entering the hull.

“Add the water used to suppress the fire and this creates a tenuous situation,” Vrabel said. “With the assistance of the Coast Guard crew from the Cape Palmerston, we managed collectively to extinguish the fire and keep the boat afloat, which is the ideal outcome.”

An investigation into the blaze is currently underway. The value of the boat and the loss due to the fire has not yet been determined.