Vancouver firefighters find it difficult to put off the fire that engulfs the 100-foot commercial fishing vessel tied up at a Vanocuver dock. The vessel was pulled out into the harbour by a tug where it caught fire.
Captain Rob Jones-Cook of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services said that the harbour master advice them to let it go into free burn, which it was. He added that the reason for that is it just creates all sorts of huge environmental problems if we try to fill the boat with water and sink it.
The boat was filled with 3,785 litres of diesel and there was an environmental cleanup crew on standby in case of a leak. The firefighters got the call at 6.30 pm and for the nest three hours thick smoke poured out of the steel-hulled vessel. It was tough battle for firefighters.
There were seven fire trucks and two fireboats battling the smoke and flames. They managed to get out every person on board safely. It was found that the three boats was tied together when the fire broke out.
Jones-Cook informed that the tug managed to pull them into the harbour, where they were split up. They saved the other two boats, one a 55-foot vessel and the other a 75-footer.
