Watch Miami Firefighters Battle Fire Engulfing Yachts

May 28, 2021
A large fire destroyed two abandoned yachts docked at a Miami River marina, and crews used aerials and foam to keep the flames from spreading to other boats.

Two large yachts docked in a marina on the Miami River — not far from the 22nd Avenue bridge — were destroyed early Thursday morning by fire.

No one was aboard at the time of the blaze, and investigators are still trying to locate the yachts' owner, Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez said.

Miami police officers alerted fire-rescue of the fire along Northwest 22nd Avenue and 14th Street at about 2:30 a.m.

It took 17 fire-rescue units — including a police boat — to douse the flames using foam. Firefighters closed the 22nd Avenue bridge and used ladder trucks to help contain the blaze.

"The damage was so extensive that it was hard to tell how big the yachts were," Sanchez. He said crews believe that one may have been around 50 feet and the other around 70.

Sanchez said they were having a hard time locating the owner of the yachts, who "may have abandoned them a long time ago."

Two other boats that were docked nearby were moved, which prevented the fire from spreading, Sanchez said.

Investigators are working to figure out what caused the blaze.

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