Boat Fire Rips Through Vessel Off Orient

ORIENT, NY — A boat fire broke out off the coast of Orient Tuesday morning, sparking dark clouds of smoke that were seen billowing on the horizon.

According to Southold Town Police, Robin Cassin, 66, and Theresa Cassin, 59, of Meriden, CT, said that they anchored up their 40' Chris-Craft in Orient Harbor and took their dinghy with their two dogs to the beach.

They left their generator running for the appliances onboard and when they returned from their walk on the beach they found their boat fully engulfed with flames and called 911, police said.

Southold Town bay constables and Southold Police responded by boat and through Orient State Park to the location. The Shelter Island bay constable, as well as East Marion, Orient and Shelter Island Fire Departments also responded, as did the United States Coast Guard, police said.

(Courtesy photo)

Orient and Shelter Island Fire Departments extinguished the boat fire, police said.
The vessel is being salvaged by Sea Tow; Robin Cassin and Theresa Cassin refused medical attention at the scene, police said.