TURTLE BAY, Fla. — A fishing boat caught fire Friday in Turtle Bay, prompting emergency responses from Charlotte County agencies.
The Marine Emergency Response Team (MERT) was called around 9:35 a.m. about a vessel fire in the bay. Charlotte County Marine 1 arrived to find the 20 to 24 foot recreational fishing vessel fully engulfed in flames. They immediately began suppression efforts with support from Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District Marine 156. Firefighters said they put out the blaze in about 10 minutes.
One person suffered a suspected minor burn injury and was transported to the Boca Grande Fire Department station for evaluation, according to Charlotte County Public Safety.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office's Marine Unit secured the area and worked to identify the vessel's owner while coordinating with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which is conducting the investigation.
Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including Engine 4 (operating as Marine 1), Boca Grande Fireboat, Englewood Area Fire Control District's Fireboat, Matlacha Fire Department's Marine 156, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, Cape Coral Police Department's Marine Unit, and the FWC.
