Fire Engulfs Three Boats at Hillsboro Inlet Marina in Pompano Beach

A massive boat fire broke out over night in Pompano Beach, damaging at least three boats. According to various reports, the three boats, which were docked near the Hillsboro Inlet Finish Marina located at 2705 North Riverside Drive, went up in flames just after midnight Monday. Crews from the Pompano...

By Chris Joseph

November 3, 2015

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

A massive boat fire broke out overnight in Pompano Beach, damaging at least three boats. According to various reports, the boats, which were docked at the Hillsboro Inlet Finish Marina, located at 2705 N. Riverside Drive, went up in flames just after midnight Tuesday.

Crews from the Pompano Beach Fire Rescue responded to the fire, putting out the flames within an hour, officials reported. According to one report, two of the three boats ended up sinking.

Sadness & relief no one hurt. That's how one fisherman says he's feeling this morning. Live from Pompano Beach next. pic.twitter.com/3VjDTLdeJr
— Erika Glover (@ErikaGloverNBC6) November 3, 2015

There were no immediate reports of any injuries, and fire crews remained on the scene into Tuesday morning investigating the fire. It's unclear how the fire started. The extent of the damage of the boat that didn't sink is still being looked into.

#BREAKING OVERNIGHT: Big boat fire in Pompano Beach. @ErikaGloverNBC6 is there for @NBC6. Coverage begins at 4:30 pic.twitter.com/F1BTkHgoRS
— NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) November 3, 2015

1 boat sinks, another heavily damaged in Pompano Beach marina fire https://t.co/uawy8WXmOa pic.twitter.com/3oreBW2Czk
— WPTV (@WPTV) November 3, 2015

Aftermath boat fires Hillsboro Inlet Pompano Beach pic.twitter.com/stioKjqQsf
— Sun Sentinel Photos (@PhotoSSentinel) November 3, 2015

"It breaks my heart — we've never seen anything like this," Chip Hunt, a worker at the marina, told reporters early Tuesday morning.

Hunt, who works on the fishing boat that was anchored next to the three that caught fire, said he arrived just as the blaze had spread.

"There were three boats totally engulfed in flames," he said. "I tried to get close; there was nothing I could do. I wanted to untie our boat and get it out of the slipm but I had my shirt off and got within 50 feet and I was just getting burned."

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.