Police are investigating a fire at Anchorage Pier in Canton, Baltimore, USA, which damaged several boats and sank at least one.
When the Baltimore Fire Department (BFD) arrived on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, several boats were on fire, with two 17-meter boats the most damaged. Rescuers arrived at the scene and found fire and smoke coming from multiple ships docked at the pier. When reports of propane tanks on one of the ships were reported, the tension intensified.
Fortunately, a man and his dog were on the boat that caught fire, but both were safe and managed to evacuate. In this fire, there has been no news of any civilians or firefighters being injured, which is undoubtedly the greatest consolation.
In an interview with WBAL-TV, Baltimore Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright said that after nearly an hour of intense fighting, one boat sank after burning through the ropes, while the other was "completely burning, but still floating on the surface."
Some of the ships were wrapped in heat shrink film for the winter, which raised additional concerns about the spread of fire and the toxicity of smoke.
Salvage of the wreck has begun to mitigate further pollution. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace told WJZ-TV, "When fuel is released from these ships, we want to be able to absorb it. Once the situation is under control, we will send a salvage team at some point to try to salvage the ship that sank to the bottom of the sea. ”
The fire reportedly broke out in Zone B of the marina, which installed new lines, pipes and decks during the spring 2023 reconstruction.