Boat bursts into flames at Wildwood, NJ marina

WILDWOOD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A boat caught fire at a Wildwood marina Thursday afternoon, sinking and damaging the dock.

Officials say no one was injured.

Viewer video sent to Action News shows the 42-foot boat burning at the Schooner Island Marina.

The plume of smoke could be seen for miles. Witnesses say they heard an explosion.

"The whole sky was nothing but black. The sun was blocked and everything," said Mark Demberger of North Wildwood.

Officials say the boat was at the end of the fuel dock when it burst into flames around 12:40 p.m.

Two people who were on the boat at the time escaped without injury. Four Marina employees were evaluated at the scene but refused transport to the hospital.

"They were in the immediate area of the fire as well as other employees who were trying to assist with getting fire extinguishers initially before they realized the fire was too extensive," said Wildwood Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Dunn.

The location of the boat - at the end of the dock - made for a challenging job.

With the help of other nearby companies, the fire was under control in about an hour. A portion of the dock was damaged.

Now what's left of the boat is underwater.

"Once the boat sank, the burning fuel rose to the surface of the water and started to spread towards other docks. So they had to form a foam blanket around that burning fuel to prevent extension to any other docks or boats," said Dunn.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Cape May County Fire Marshal's Office and the New Jersey State Police.

Officials say next they're going to work with Seatow and the marina to pull the wreckage out. That will help in determining a cause.