Massive fire leaves boats, cars burned in Mattapoisett boat yard
MATTAPOISETT -- A massive fire in a Mattapoisett boat yard was creating plumes of smoke that could be seen from miles away on Friday. Dozens of boats and cars appear to be burned.
There were reports of people with severe burns, and Mattapoisett Fire Chief Andrew Murray confirmed one civilian man was injured. Of the more than 100 firefighters called to the scene, three were injured. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation and two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.
The Fairhaven Firefighters Association posted on Facebook around 2:30 p.m. that its crews were assisting at the scene, leaving their own station unmanned. In total 19 engines, 21 ladder trucks, three fire boats and 12 tankers were used to battle the blaze. Firefighters will continue to put out hot spots overnight.
WInds from the water exceeding 20 miles per hour drove the fire, which totaled five buildings.
The National Weather Service said smoke from this fire was detected on radar.
David James Horne saw the fire start from a distance while he was on his boat.
"The big thing was it's an old building and the barn that the fire seemed to start in is next to the paint barn so of course I knew that and the whole time the smoke was just black and bellowing. First I heard a couple of booms, couple more booms and then after that just pops, things crackling," he described.
Coastal winds fanned the flames as crews pushed to control the fire on the water and by land.
"I feel like I lost a family member," said Horne. "I was down at the town pier and hundreds of people were there, they were just devastated."
It's unclear what started the blaze.