Fire Destroys, Sinks, 3 Boats at Umatilla Marina Near I-82 Bridge
The fire investigation will have to wait until the 3 boats are pulled from the water.
Fire crews respond to incident Monday in Umatilla
Hazmat and other environmental crews continue to clean up oil and fuel spills in the Umatilla Marina following a mysterious blaze that sank 3 boats.
Around 6:30 AM the Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District responded to the Marina, which is located on the west side of, and right next to, the I-82 bridge over the Columbia River. The area is circled in this image.
When they arrived they found 3 boats were on fire, two of them were drifting out into the Marina. Crews beat back the flames of the boat still tied up, then the two that were drifting. Due to extensive damage, all 3 ended up sinking, but in shallow water.
Crews attacked the tied off boat because heat from the flames was beginning to singe other boats moored at the facility.
Fire District Officials said the primary task now is cleaning up the oil and fuel spills from the boats, which were confined to the waters inside the Marina. Then over the next day or so, the 3 boats will be pulled from the water and investigators will begin seeking the cause of the fires.
No other details have been released, Officials are asking the public to steer clear of the area while the cleanup efforts continue.
No specific information about the size or type of boats involved in the fire were released.
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Gallery Credit: Isabel Sepulveda