"We had units on-scene overnight continuing to monitor and contain the fire," said Fort Lauderdale Division Chief Dennis Sheehan. "The fire flared back up again at about 4 a.m."
Sheehan said about seven more firefighting units were sent to the blaze, on the face dock of the Best Western Marina Inn, on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway just south of the 17th Street Causeway.
The fire started around 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the engine room of the 157-foot Newfoundland Explorer, which is registered in the Cayman Islands.
Initially, the fire appeared routine, but firefighters were quickly endangered when the fire "flashed," said Lt. Rick Pard, one of 10 firefighters trapped two decks below when flames shot to the ceiling. Firefighters escaped while battling the blaze, which quickly escalated into a four-alarm fire with 55 firefighters on the scene.
The early morning flare-up surprised firefighters, Sheehan said, but they were prepared and put it out.
"The fire is finally out, but the boat is sitting on the bottom," Sheehan said.
No one was aboard the vessel when it caught fire.
