Massachusetts Marina Fire, Sparked by Gas Vapors, Accidental

MATTAPOISETT, Mass. (AP) — Gasoline vapors ignited by spark during a gas tank replacement project on a boat was the likely cause of a major fire at a Massachusetts marina last week that destroyed buildings, vehicles and boats and sent one employee to the hospital, investigators said.

The fire at the Mattapoisett Boatyard on Friday that drew more than 100 firefighters and sent a plume of thick black smoke over southeastern Massachusetts that could be seen for miles was determined to be accidental, according to a statement Monday from the state fire marshal and local authorities.

The investigation determined that the fire began inside a building at the boatyard where a worker had been replacing a boat’s gas tank.

The fire, fanned by winds of up to 25 mph (40 kph), spread to six buildings, 47 vehicles and 14 boats, authorities said.

The injured worker remains in the hospital but is expected to survive. Three firefighters who suffered smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion injuries were treated at the hospital and released.

Mattapoisett is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boston. Firefighters from around the region responded to the blaze, including from as far as Providence, Rhode Island, about 30 miles away.

On the day of the fire, drought conditions and high winds in the Mattapoisett area had prompted the National Weather Service to issue a warning of elevated fire risk. The blaze at the marina sent dense black smoke over southeastern Massachusetts that could be seen for miles.

The Mattapoisett Boatyard’s website says it’s been a family-owned marina since 1962, catering primarily to recreational boaters, and has the capacity to store up to 150 vessels during the summer that aren’t in use or are for sale.

WPRI.com reported that owner David Kaiser released a statement Monday saying the boatyard is essentially starting over from the ground up, having lost all tools, equipment, inventory and paperwork.

About the photo: Firefighters stand next to the partially melted stairs of Washburn & Doughty Associates boatyard Friday, July 11, 2008 in East Boothbay, Maine. There were a series of explosions as flames ripped through the 50,000-square-foot facility that hosued two tugboats under construction. (AP Photo/Joel Page)