Two saved from commercial vessel fire

A commercial fishing vessel caught fire and burned down Thursday morning in the Cook Inlet.

The U.S. Coast Guard got a report of the accident, but did not have to respond because the two people on board the vessel had already been rescued, said Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios of the Coast Guard.

“There (were) two people aboard, and those two people were removed by a good Samaritan,” Rios said.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Neither person was injured, he said. The 29-foot bow picker completely burned down and has sunk, said Lt. Brent Mellen with the Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment in Homer.

“It was a fiberglass vessel that was engulfed in flames,” he said.

Mellen got the call at about 7:45 a.m., and said the Alaska State Troopers were already aware of the accident when he called them.

The Marine Safety Detachment in Homer will head out today to where the vessel burned about 4 miles north of the Kasilof River mouth to check for potential pollution hazards, Mellen said. Rios said the Coast Guard has no indication so far of pollution in the area.

“We check for the diesel on board,” Mellen said. “At this time it looks like it appears to be burned.”

There were only 100 gallons on board the vessel, and there is no visible sheen on the water to indicate the presence of oil, he said.

 

Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Pool manager and swim coach Will Hubler leads a treading water exercise at Kenai Central High School on Tuesday.
Pools, theaters, libraries in jeopardy as cuts loom

The district issued “notices of non-retention” to all its pool managers, library aides and theater technicians.

A sockeye salmon is pictured in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Fishing slow on Russian River, improving on Kenai

Northern Kenai fishing report for Tuesday, June 17.

Josiah Kelly, right, appears for a superior court arraignment at the Kenai Courthouse in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchor Point man accepts plea deal for November shootings

Buildings operated by a local health clinic and an addiction recovery nonprofit were targeted.

A demonstrator holds up a sign during the “No Kings” protest on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at WKFL Park in Homer, Alaska. (Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)
Homer hits the streets to say ‘No Kings’

Around 700 gathered locally as part of a nationwide protest.

Brooklyn Coleman, right, staffs The Squeeze Squad lemonade stand during Lemonade Day in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kids learn business skills at annual Lemonade Day

Around 40 stands were strewn around Soldotna, Kenai, Nikiski and Sterling for the event.

Planes are showcased at the Kenai Air Fair in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai fair shows off aircraft of all kinds

Cargo planes to helicopters were on display Saturday.

David Meyer. Photo courtesy of Chantrelle Meyer
Volunteers continue search for missing Happy Valley man

David Meyer was reported missing June 11 while kayaking in Cook Inlet.

Boats at Douglas Harbor under mostly clear skies on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
80°F in Juneau will trigger first-ever National Weather Service heat advisories

Officials say sun’s angle in Alaska makes temperatures feel higher compared to other states.

People carrying flags and signs line the Sterling Highway for a “No Kings” protest in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna ‘No Kings’ protest draws hundreds

The nationwide protest came the same day as a military parade organized at the behest of the Trump administration.

Most Read