Two Dead, 21 Boats Destroyed in Va. Marina Blaze

MIDDLESEX — Two people died and 21 boats were destroyed in a massive early morning fire at Dozier’s Port Urbanna Yachting Center in Urbanna on Monday.

The fire, which started around 4:30 a.m., flattened the marina, consuming piers, floating docks, a boathouse, storage facility and two cars in the parking lot.

The cause of the fire is a part of an ongoing criminal investigation, according to the Virginia State Police Sgt. Michelle Anaya.

Urbanna resident Rod McMordie said his wife, Beth Justice, called 911 after she saw flames at the marina. The couple’s home on Watling Street overlooks Dozier’s, which sits in Urbanna Creek and can be seen from the bridge that enters the small town.

“There was one big explosion down here toward the end that sent up an orange mushroom cloud into the air. ... Then the roof started collapsing and it just went from one end and just collapsed all the way to the other end,” McMordie said in his backyard on Monday. “It’s been a surreal morning. I’ve never seen this view. There has always been a marina there.”

Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup, spokesman for the Coast Guard, said the two people lived aboard vessels in the marina. The fire, which started about 4:30 a.m., damaged 50 boats, said Major M.E. Sampson with Middlesex County Sheriff's Office.

Firefighters from 14 volunteer departments, including Urbanna, Deltaville, Waterview and Hartfield in Middlesex County and crews from Gloucester County responded to the fire.

While the fire was contained around 8 a.m., fire officials worked throughout the day to extinguish flames. Two boats broke free from the marina in flames but were put out. Those two washed up near the marsh across the creek and sat smoldering for most of the day. No rescue or fire personnel were reported injured.

Urbanna Mayor Steve Hollberg said water service was turned off to a portion of the town during the morning to increase water pressure and supply to the fire crews. He said no other businesses were damaged.

The local fire department and Coast Guard battled the blaze, which started about 4:30 a.m. and damaged nearly 50 boats.

An old building that most recently housed Dockside Grill adjacent to Dozier’s was undamaged, as well as a set of condominium homes next to the marina.

“Our hearts go out to the families of those who were lost,” Hollberg said.

Dozier’s Port Urbanna is operated by Dozier Marine Group. The company owns the Regatta Point Yachting Center in Deltaville, both in Middlesex County. A representative for the company could not be reached for comment Monday.

Lewis Hall, who lives a few houses down from McMordie, owns one of the docks next to the marina. The end of his dock was damaged by the flames. His father owns a small building on one of the nearby piers, he said, which was damaged.

He said he heard sirens about 5 a.m. and saw a glow outside his window.

Two people are unaccounted for after an early morning fire severely damaged Dozier Yachting Center Marina in Urbanna Monday.

“Unbelievable, surreal, that's what I was thinking,” Hall said. “Just amazing. It'll be a lot of cleanup.”

Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup, spokesman for the Coast Guard, said the two people who were killed lived aboard vessels in the marina. Police said the remains of the two people have been sent to the medical examiner’s office in Richmond for identification.

Fire boats from York County and Newport News assisted the cleanup on Monday, as well as the Coast Guard, Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

“The environmental impact is being overseen by the United States Coast Guard,” Anaya said at a news conference late Monday morning. “All agencies are working together in this event.”

Arson investigators with the Virginia State Police were called to the scene Monday. According to Corinne Geller with the Virginia State Police, the fire has not be declared an arson. These types of fires are investigated initially as criminal in nature until proven otherwise, she said.

Staff writer Jonathan Black contributed to this report. Hubbard can be reached by phone at 757-298-5834.

———

Visit the Daily Press (Newport News, Va.) at www.dailypress.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.