Four boats were destroyed and two other boats had minor damage during an early morning fire.
DC Police and Fire officials say the fire occurred around 2:45 a.m., Monday, at the Washington Yacht Club in the 1500 block of M Street SE.
60 firefighters, required to wear life jackets on top of their heavy equipment, battled the fire. The 40 foot boats were engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived.
One boat owner told 9NEWS NOW reporter Surae Chinn that his boat was destroyed by the fire but that he didn't know what may have started the fire.
Captain Bill says, "I'm still in shock. I just renovated the boat and it's gone."
Commodore Steve Ricks says, "It feels like you lost part of your family, your home and your belongings. It's gone. I was on it yesterday and when I left it, it was perfect and today when I came back it was fully engulfed.
Rick's boat is named after his wife, Iver Jean 2, who he still has to break the news to her.
"I can't bring back what it provided everyday, you have to pick up yourself and move on."
Fire investigators say the dollar estimated damage could reach a million dollars.
No injuries have been reported.
Republished with permission of WUSA-TV
