Fire severely damages four boats at Far South Side marina
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A fire Wednesday at Pier 11 Marina on the city's Far South Side caused serious damage to at least four boats.
As CBS 2's Andrew Ramos reported, crews spent hours putting out flames that officials on the ground are now saying resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
We are told that altogether, those damages will most likely surpass $1.1 million.
It was around 10 a.m. when crews with the Chicago and Dolton fire departments responded to the marina at 826 E. 138th St. – along the Little Calumet River on the southern boundary of the city. Fire crews found three boats on fire.
As firefighters attempted to put out the flames, the fire spread to a fourth boat.
For several hours, firefighters tried to contain the blaze, which was concentrated in one of the boats. It was not until around 2 p.m. when the fire was finally put out,
We are told by those on the ground that the fire was started when a recreational boat owner was attempting to winterize his boat.
From how it was described, the winterizing process involves placing a plastic cover over the boat which is sealed in by heat. That owner, we learned, was using a propane tank - and at some point, his boat caught fire.
That fire ended up spreading to the other boats.
Among the casualties was a historic vessel used in tours along the Chicago River that was owned and operated by Chicago First Lady cruises and its sister line, Mercury Cruises.
The family-owned business that has been operating for four generations. The current president of the Mercury described it as a dark day for the family.
"She was a mainstay on the water for several years, you know. For the longest time, we were one of only two operators on the Chicago River with this particular vessel," said Tim Agra, "So we're going to have to see if she's salvageable or not, but you know, it's a tough day for us."
Dolton Fire Chief Pete McCain reminded those who attempt to winterize their boats that they need to have the proper training to do so.
"You have to be very careful and make sure that you're up to speed and have the knowledge to do it correctly," McCain said.
Despite the tremendous damage caused, no major injuries were reported.
One person who assisted in trying to put out the fire suffered minor burns. He refused treatment at the scene.