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Five boats destroyed in fire at marina

By Meg Olson

Sluggish response to a fire that destroyed five boats and sunk three at the Point Roberts marina on October 6 was attributable to a lack of available volunteers and a communications glitch, according to Point Roberts fire chief Bill Skinner.

From the first dispatch center call for volunteers to respond to the October 6 fire until the fire engine was on scene took 18 minutes. “I’d like to say it was half that,” Skinner ruefully told commissioners at their October 10 meeting.

Skinner said he and assistant fire chief Nick Kiniski, both volunteer firefighters whose administrative positions with the department are part time, were out of town. So were many local firefighters, most of whom either live or work outside Point Roberts.

Only two local volunteers responded to the initial call – not enough to fight a fire – and waited in the engine at the fire station for at least two more volunteers, which would let them meet minimum safety standards. They requested assistance from Delta eight minutes after getting the first call. “There was a communications breakdown and Delta was simply told to stand by,” Skinner said.

Local firefighters requested another call be sent out to volunteers a few minutes later and more volunteers arrived. Three volunteers from Point Roberts and four from Canada eventually responded to the call, and the engine arrived at the marina at the same time as the Delta crew arrived, Skinner said.

The fire was put out quickly once crews were on scene, Skinner said. No one was injured. Five boats were destroyed, four of them burning to the waterline. Three of those sank and were salvaged the following day. The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary deployed on-site spill control booms to protect water quality.

Marina owner Steve MacKay said the estimated damage to docks and boats, plus the cost of salvage and cleanup, is likely to be close to $1 million. “It was on a dock with mostly small boats so damage was limited. It could have been worse,” he said. The cause of the fire was accidental, he said. A boat owner did not adequately ventilate prior to starting his engine.

Skinner said communication with Delta can be improved, and he was looking at operational questions raised by retired Richmond firefighters at the scene. “We proceeded according to our training and they had concerns we may or may not be able to address,” he said.

The lack of volunteer availability during the work week is a perennial problem, Skinner said. “I was happy somebody showed up, this is a volunteer department and they have jobs,” Skinner said. “There may be a day when no one does. Then Delta or B.C. Ambulance would be dispatched automatically,” and send a bill for their services, as he anticipates they will do for this call.

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