The Coast Guard was called in at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The main electrical generator was shut down because the smoke was at first feared to be an electrical fire.
The insulation was noncombustible so it never caught fire and there were no injuries. But the smoke and steam generated when the fire was put out forced the gaming floors to be cleared.
"We were out of power for 45 minutes," said Jim Monaghan, managing partner of the gambling boat.
Coast Guard Lt. Willie Pittman said the engines were shut down before the boat returned to port but Monaghan disagreed, saying the boat was "never without propulsion."
The Coast Guard said Friday it was waiting on a report from the boat's inspectors before it can return to the water.
Information from: Savannah Morning News
