Boat blaze in Florida Keys
A good Samaritan has rescued two people after their boat caught fire in Islamorada, Florida. According to local reports, the couple were taking their boat on a maiden voyage off Islamorada when it burst into flames.
The boaters were rescued in the vicinity of Whale Harbor Channel and suffered minor injuries. Coast Guard Station Islamorada and a commercial salvage crew extinguished the fire before it affected other boats in the area.
“With the good Samaritan rescuing the two people, our biggest concern was keeping the vessel from drifting toward other boats in the area and the mangroves,” said petty officer 2nd class Logan Venero, coxswain, Station Islamorada.
The fire enveloped the 26ft boat and the thick smoke became so heavy that law enforcement briefly stopped traffic on the nearby highway because of poor visibility.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
