Fla. Firefighter Falls Into Water During Boat Fire

March 14, 2012
Training kicks in after firefighter falls face-first into water.

A Palm Harbor firefighter had to rely on his training after he fell face-first into the water while wearing full turnout gear at a the scene of a boat fire early Wednesday morning.

The unidentified firefighter lost his footing when the dock at the Home Port Marina reportedly became unstable due to the fire that he responded to shortly after 5 a.m., according to The Tampa Bay Times.

Harbor Fire Rescue spokeswoman Elizabeth Monforti said the firefighter tucked in his legs and flipped onto his back as he was trained to do before being pulled out by crewmembers.

"We're not happy that it happened, but the training that we provided really worked," she told the newspaper.

The blaze at the marina at 125 Orange Street tore through a 38-foot boat and damaged boats on either side it. Containment booms were dropped around the scene to stop any spilled fuel from spreading.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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