A boat fire at a marina on Sue Creek, off Middle River, caused one person to suffer critical injuries. But things could have easily been worse if firefighters hadn’t acted so quickly.
Several local volunteer first responders rushed to the Sue Island Marina in Essex, where a 35-foot boat with a flybridge was engulfed in flames. Bowleys Quarters, Middle River, and North Point Fire and Rescue all responded along with Marine Emergency Team 21 (MET21) says crews found the boat fully involved, but “the quick knockdown with master streams and foam potentially saved million of dollars in damages to neighboring vessels” at the marina.
MET21 stood by ready to dewater the vessel if needed, and also helped Baltimore County Hazmat teams to deploy a containment system into the water to limit the environmental impact. Studies show that firefighting foam can be hazardous in waterways.
The Baltimore County Fire Department says one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but there’s no word on their current condition. The fire was under control less than 30 minutes from the time the call came out.
–Meg Walburn Viviano
