Photos/Story by Chief Ken Smith

On Sunday morning - 5/19/02 - fire burned through 3 yachts and a 300' x 100' canopy that houses up to 20 yachts causing extensive damage including a large fuel spill. At 0916 hours station 7 Rock Hall was dispatched for a working boat fire at 5639 Walnut St., The North Point Marina.

Assistant Chief Albert Coleman arrived on location at 0920 hours and found heavy fire coming from a 40' yacht (the Maggie L) with extension into 2 other yachts and the marina canopy.

An aggressive fire attack was made by land and water using a foam operation.

Due to the large quantity of fuel in Rock Hall Harbor leaking from the now fully involved boats Asst. Chief Coleman requested a hazmat box dispatched.

Within hours the spill was contained with hundreds of feet of floating boom and an extensive cleanup operation ensued with Kent County Chief 3 Chris Powell in charge of the hazmat operations.

Approximately 2 hours into the alarm with over 100 firefighters from 4 counties assisting Asst. Chief Albert Coleman placed the situation under control holding all units working for an extended period.

The Maryland Dept. of the Enviroment and the U.S. Coastguard assisted. The Maryland State Fire Marshall's Office investigated.

On 5/20/02 the State Fire Marshall's office determined that the cause was accidental result of an electrical malfunction in a elctrical junction box in the yacht Maggie L. 1 minor injury for burns to marina owner William Campbell was reported but treatment was refused. His injury was caused while trying to removed other yachts exposed to the fire. In all, 3 yachts were destroyed, as was a portion of the marina's canopy - causing an estimated $500,000.00 in damage.