Fire at D.C. marina destroys four cabin boats

An early morning fire at a Southeast D.C. marina destroyed four cabin boats and a portion of the dock Monday, fire officials said.

More than 50 firefighters and two fire boats were dispatched to the Washington Yacht Club’s marina, near the 1500 block of M Street Southeast, around 2:45 a.m., said Pete Piringer, spokesman for the District’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.

The fire appears to be accidental in nature and started aboard one of the boats, Mr. Piringer said. Damage is estimated between $600,000 and $1 million.

To prevent additional boats from going up in flames, firefighters untied and moved several of the 40 boats docked at the marina and evacuated several liveaboard residents. No one was injured in the fire.

Three of the boats, which ranged from 35 to 40 feet in length, now lay at the bottom of the Anacostia River while the fourth is partially submerged, Mr. Piringer said. Insurance companies will likely be responsible for pulling the wreckage out of the river but the fire department has placed a boom on the river to collect oil and gasoline that remains in the water, he said.