SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - At least four boat fires and explosions have struck the South Florida region in recent weeks, some of which have become deadly. Now, officials are advising boaters to take safety precautions as they go onto the water.
In late May, one person was killed and 10 others were injured, including two children, after a boat exploded on the water in Fort Lauderdale.
The man who died, 29-year-old Joshua Fifi, was a father of four.
Two days later, another vessel burst into flames off Fort Lauderdale Beach. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue units and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene of the blaze at 2100 South Ocean Line.
7Skyforce arrived just minutes after the boat exploded, capturing aerial footage of smoke billowing into the air.
Although Good Samaritans managed to save the sole occupant, he had to be transported to the hospital with critical injuries.
“If you do have an inboard engine, do make sure that the blowers are working; make sure it’s properly ventilated before you go to start the engine. Always be aware of the smell of gas,” said FLFR Assistant Chief Stewart Ahearn.
On Wednesday, another fire erupted on a boat in a Fort Lauderdale canal. No one was injured or on board; however, one young girl, 11-year-old Angelina Ferrari, quickly called firefighters when the flames overtook the vessel.
“I go inside, I tell Dad, ‘There is a fire starting,’ and he runs outside, drops everything,” she said.
The most recent boat fire in Sunny Isles Beach, marks the fourth boat fire incident in a week.
“The Coast Guard has an auxiliary program where they inspect your vessel free of charge,” said one official. “They’ll come out, go through your entire vessel, look at any deficiencies you might have, and tell you, ‘Hey, you might want to look at that, change this, repair this,’ and then you get basically a sticker from the Coast Guard that they’ve inspected your vessel and that you’ve passed the inspection.
Fire officials say the boat fires are especially difficult to deal with, especially when it is a large vessel.
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