Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Van Isle Marina and Boat Fire, in Sidney, Victoria B.C., Canada
3 yachts, boat houses destroyed in B.C. marina fire
Matthew Pearson, Victoria Times Colonist
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SIDNEY, B.C. — Three yachts were destroyed Tuesday morning in a fire at one of the largest marinas in B.C.
Witnesses at the Van Isle Marina in Sidney, just north of Victoria, said they heard a loud bang and saw flames shoot more than 18 metres into the sky along the marina's A dock.
"It really looked like it was going to be a chain reaction with no way to stop it," said Eric Jesperson, a boat builder who works at the marina.
According to Jesperson, a live-aboard boat, two pleasure-craft boats and three boat houses were destroyed in the fire. No one was injured.
Fire officials on the scene said it was too early to say what caused the fire or put a price on the damage.
However, Jesperson estimated each boat was worth about $150,000 and pegged the cost of the boat houses at $50,000 each.
Firefighters from Sidney, North and Central Saanich, as well as the coast guard and Sidney RCMP were on scene.
Van Isle Marina is one of the largest in B.C., with 538 open and covered berths.
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