UPDATED: Three Boats Catch Fire at Hinckley Marina

Members of the Portsmouth Fire Department continued their busy month by responding to a series of boat fires at Hinckley Marina early Monday morning that started on one boat and quickly spread to two more.

The destruction could have been more severe if it weren’t for the efforts of firefighters to move other vessels out of the way of the blaze at the same time they attacked the flames.

Portsmouth Fire Department Dep. Chief Michael P. O’Brien said that the department got a flurry of calls at 4:58 a.m. reporting a large fire on or near vessels in the marina at 1 Little Harbor Landing.

The first crews arrived eight minutes later and found at least two boats engulfed in flames on the dock.

A second alarm response was called, activating members of the Narragansett Bay Marine Task Force. Crews from North Kingstown, Bristol, Naval Station Newport, Newport and Tiverton and responded to assist Portsmouth.

“Portsmouth crews had to force entry onto a pier to get close enough to fight the fire using saws to cut through security fencing,” O’Brien said. “By the time crews were able to attack the fire, three vessels had become involved in fire.”

Firefighters worked expeditiously to move nearby boats from their slips and away from the fire to prevent more damage. During those operations, a firefighter fell into the water between a boat and the pier, O’Brien said, but he was not hurt and quickly plucked from the water.

The fire was under control by 6:32 a.m., but two of the boats could not be saved and sank.

The state Department of Environmental Management responded and officials are working with Hinckley employees to contain fuel leaking from the boats using pads and other methods.

The fire marshal is at the scene and investigating the cause.

Portsmouth’s units cleared the scene at 8:58 a.m.

Photos courtesy: Portsmouth Fire Department