Suspicious Marina Fire: Man “On Fire” / Multiple Boats Burned
Two boats were destroyed and another was damaged in an early Monday fire at the Coral Bay Marina in Islamorada.
The fire has been deemed suspicious by the Sheriff’s Office and is under investigation. The state Fire Marshal’s Office is part of that investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office and Islamorada Fire Rescue were called to the marina at 601 Mastic St. about 12:45 a.m. The Sheriff’s Office arrived to find two vessels engulfed and another catching fire. A twin-hull, 34-foot Glacier Bay (Double Agent) and a 50-foot Sea Ray Express Cruiser (Good Hair Day II) were destroyed in the fire. A 45-foot twin-hull (Snorkel Express) was also damaged in the fire, but not to the extent of the other two. The boats were all dry docked.
One person was seriously injured in the fire. That man called 911 Communications staff about 5:12 a.m. to tell them he was involved in an accident with a boat at the marina and he was currently at Jackson hospital in Miami.
One witness told Deputy Wardell Hanna he heard several loud explosions near the boat area and looked out his window to see a dark-colored pickup truck and a man on fire running away from the scene and toward the truck.
A second witness told Sgt. Vaughn O’Keefe she heard a loud noise, looked out her window and saw three men standing near a dark-colored pickup up truck with one man holding a “fire stick.” The witness stated she saw the man throw the fire stick into an already burning boat before leaving in the pickup truck.
A third witness reported talking to two men who told her they were working on a boat (the Double Agent) that was having electrical issues. The boat was reported on fire moments thereafter.
There were no arrests as of Monday.
