CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard assisted boaters aboard a vessel after it caught fire near Keewaydin State Park in upstate New York, Thursday morning.
At about 8:15 a.m., the Coast Guard responded to a report of a boat on fire in the American Narrows on the St. Lawrence River near Wellesley Island, New York. The boat operator called Coast Guard Station Alexandria Bay, New York, directly and a rescue boat crew launched immediately to assist. The boaters used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire as the rescue crew arrived on scene.
“If the boaters had not had a fire extinguisher and a form of communication aboard their vessel, this could have turned out much worse,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Dan Kelly, officer-of-the-day at Station Alexandria Bay. “They were fortunate that the fire only required one extinguisher. They did not have the required number of extinguishers for the size of vessel they were on, so we want to remind boaters to ensure they have all the right equipment and the proper quantities, which can be easily resolved be getting a free vessel safety check before you hit the water.”
The rescue boat crew, aboard a 25-foot response boat, towed the boat to Keewaydin State Park where they moored safely and were met by the local fire department as a precaution.
No injuries or pollution was reported. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
