Firefighters made short work of a boat that caught ablaze Friday night at the Homer Harbor, and no one was injured in the process.
A 32-foot Osprey brand fiberglass boat caught fire shortly before 9 p.m. while docked in the harbor, on the same side as the Harbormaster Office. No one was on board at the time and no one was injured, said Homer Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mark Kirko. Lt. Ryan Browning of the Homer Police Department said officers got the call to respond at 9:04 p.m.
John Pratt, who was on the scene and called 911 and the Harbormaster, said he saw smoke and got to the scene around 8:45 p.m., and then saw flames just a few minutes later. The worst of the fire was over shortly after 9 p.m., Pratt said.
Kirko said the fire appears to have started in the engine compartment of the boat. The Osprey was in a line of boats tied up at the harbor, but firefighters were able to access it without too much trouble.
“Thankfully there was not one directly to its port side,” Kirko said. “That helped us out quite a bit.”
The fire worked its way from the engine compartment to the cabin, Kirko said.
“Not a lot of fire damage in the cabin,” he said. “But a lot of smoke damage in there.”
The owners of the boat are not currently in Homer. Kirko said the Harbormaster’s office has contacted one of the owners to come collect the boat. On Friday night, the harbor staff were preparing to get the boat stowed while waiting for the owners, Kirko said.
Also Friday evening, a dispatcher with the Homer Police Department confirmed that there was a minor incident at the Homer Airport. The Homer Police responded along with Homer Airport staff, but no assistance from the fire department was needed.
Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.
Photo by John Pratt Flames and smoke rise from a 32-foot fiberglass boat docked in the Homer Harbor on the evening of Friday in Homer. No one was harmed and the Homer Volunteer Fire Department put out the fire.
Flames and smoke rise from a 32-foot fiberglass boat docked in the Homer Harbor on the evening of Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 in Homer, Alaska. No one was harmed and the Homer Volunteer Fire Department put out the fire. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Flames and smoke rise from a 32-foot fiberglass boat docked in the Homer Harbor on the evening of Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 in Homer, Alaska. No one was harmed and the Homer Volunteer Fire Department put out the fire. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
