2 Boats Catch Fire At Oceanside Harbor, 1 Partially Sinks

OCEANSIDE, CA — A fire tore through two boats at the Oceanside harbor, destroying one that ended up partially submerged, authorities said Tuesday.

The blaze was reported about 4:10 p.m. Monday on a roughly 40-foot boat anchored to Dock T off South Harbor Drive, said Oceanside Fire Battalion Chief Jessamyn Specht.

No one was onboard the vessels when the fire broke out, and no injuries were reported.

A responding fire engine's captain ran down the dock and found one boat ablaze with a second boat starting to catch fire next to it, Specht said. Oceanside lifeguard crews and firefighters were able to cut the line anchoring a third boat, saving it from also catching fire.

"Ultimately the first boat was unhooked from the slip and was pulled toward the boat ramp to provide firefighters with better access to extinguish the flames," Specht said. "The first boat ended up partially sinking due to the amount of water sprayed onto and into the vessel."

The first boat was a total loss, and it was not immediately clear if the second boat was salvageable, he said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

— City News Service