3 yachts sink after marina fire on Vancouver Island: fire department

Three boats have sunk following a fire at a marina on Vancouver Island Sunday morning, according to the local fire department.

Firefighters were called to Van Isle Marina in Sidney, B.C. — a community of about 12,300 people located roughly 25 kilometres north of Victoria — just after 7:30 a.m. PT.

Sidney Fire Chief Brett Mikkelsen said crews could tell the fire was significant even before arriving on scene, due to a towering column of black smoke.

“We could see flames from almost a kilometre away,” Mikkelsen said. “So that gives you an idea of the size and how much fuel was actually burning.”

When firefighters arrived, they found three yachts, each between 65 and 70 feet long, fully engulfed in flames.

Crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby vessels until surrounding boats could be moved to safety. However, the three yachts at the centre of the blaze all sank in their slips, Mikkelsen said.

No one was aboard the vessels at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Const. Benje Bartley of the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP said the investigation is ongoing, but there is no indication at this point that the fire was suspicious.

Mikkelsen said the fire was likely burning for 15 to 20 minutes before emergency crews were alerted.

The Canadian Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre dispatched the CCGS Cape St. James and personnel from CCG Ganges Station to assist. According to the Department of National Defence, pollution containment measures were put in place, and the Coast Guard’s marine environmental and hazards response program is working with marina officials to monitor the situation.

The marina has hired the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation to handle cleanup operations.

B.C.’s Ministry of Environment said the Coast Guard is leading the environmental response and that a provincial emergency response officer was on site to observe conditions.

Because the boats are now underwater, the fire department is unable to immediately investigate the cause of the blaze. Mikkelsen said firefighters expect to be involved once the sunken hulls are recovered.

He added that there was some damage to dock infrastructure as a result of the fire.

To help protect nearby vessels, Sidney Fire deployed its specialized marina fire protection trailer, which includes custom-built carts designed to fit the town’s docks and gangways. The unit is also equipped with two lightweight, high-capacity Tohatsu pumps capable of moving 540 gallons of water per minute.

“It’s a specialized resource we’ve built over time because this is something we deal with more than many other municipalities,” Mikkelsen said, noting that Sidney — despite its small size — is home to two of the largest yacht marinas on the West Coast.