Multiple Boat Fire @ South Benson Marina

On Sunday, June 29th at 12:33 PM, the Fairfield 911 Center received a report of a boat on fire at "G" dock in the South Benson Marina complex. Additional 911 callers reported multiple boats on fire in the marina. Due to the additional reports and visible black smoke from miles away, additional firefighting units were called to the scene including the Fairfield police and fire department boats and mutual aid from Bridgeport.

Upon arrival of the first firefighters from Engine 1, heavy smoke and fire was observed in the entire marina and firefighters saw a group of people trapped on the end of "G" dock, blocked from the shore due to the fire. Personnel were advised upon arrival that one man was working on a boat and jumped into the water to escape the flames. Firefighters checked the individual for injuries and he refused medical care on scene stating that he only had minor cuts. Another civilian on the dock at the time of the fire witnessed the man jump into the water and assisted with rescuing him from the water.

Initial fire crews worked to limit spread of the fire to the two involved boats and also cooled the adjacent exposed vessels to prevent further damage. Additional personnel responded to the scene to search for any injured boaters, establish a water supply, and to protect the public from electrical and flammable hazards related to the burned boats. Police and Fire boats controlled access to the dock and prepared to rescue firefighters or remove trapped boaters from the dock if needed. Bridgeport Fire and Police boats reported to the area and assisted Fairfield with controlling marina traffic. Bridgeport FD assisted with station coverage during the fire. The US Coast Guard was notified of the incident but did not respond. CT DEEP and ENCON Police also responded to the scene to assist with handling any potential fuel discharge issues but fire personnel were able to control the release from the damaged vessels. Fairfield Police assisted with crowd control and scene safety.

The Fairfield Fire Marshall was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Initial damage assessment includes: 2 boats completely destroyed, 2 boats with moderate to severe damage and 2 boats with minor damage. The aluminum dock floatation, water and electrical systems were also damaged by the fire. Electrical power was shut down to the entire "G" dock until repairs can be assessed and made. The estimated value of the 2 boats destroyed by the fire is in excess of $40,000 while the extent of damage to the exposed vessels has not been determined. The Fire Marshall has identified the boat of fire origin and has determined that the cause of the fire was related to accumulated gasoline vapors ignited by an electric spark when the occupant plugged in an extension cord on the boat.

Boaters were not allowed onto the dock until all hazards could be eliminated and the burned boats which were filled with flammable gas and were leaking could be removed to safety. The Harbor Manager and Fairfield Police and Fire boats supervised the movement of the vessels to the boat ramp so they could be safely removed from the marina and eliminate any further environmental release.

Assistant Chief Scott Bisson stated, "While the damage to the boats was significant, we were extremely lucky that no one was seriously injured and the marina was able to resume 95% of its normal operations within 2 hours of this fire. Additionally, this fire showed the results of years of practical training and equipment acquisitions through homeland security grants where all agencies work together as a unified team protecting the coastal waters of Fairfield County."

20 Firefighters responded to the scene to control the fire and Chief Felner was also on scene.