Boat Fire at Fort Peck Marina

A boat was engulfed in flames at the Fort Peck Marina on July 15, at about 1:30 p.m. According to the Fort Peck Fire Chief Landon Holt, the only injury was minor burns. The boat, however, was completely destroyed by the ensuing fire.

The vessel ignited while docked in the marina slip and was pushed out by responders to the blaze before drifting into land. According to Holt, no other structures or boats were affected by the fire. The occupants escaped the boat and were able to notify 911.

A total of two fire trucks responded with five Fort Peck volunteer firefighters and five - six Long Run firefighters who were already recreating at the lake. The fire burned for nearly two hours as the entire tank of fuel needed to burn off.

According to Holt, the cause of the fire is unknown but believed to have been ignited by some sort of mechanical malfunction in the boat motor. He said it is recommended that every boat carry a fire extinguisher in case of an emergency, and he expressed relief that the fire occurred so close to shore saying, "Good thing it happened where it did."