A man suffered a broken arm, cuts and smoke inhalation when he escaped from a boat fire in Oyster River on the weekend.
Firefighters were called to Pacific Playgrounds International Marina, about 20 kilometres south of Campbell River, early Saturday morning.
Crews were met with flames so intense that they spread to a neighbouring vessel.
“Upon arrival there was one boat that was fully engulfed. It soon spread to the boat that was just adjacent to it,” said Oyster River Fire Asst. Chief Chris Murray.
Extinguishing the blaze proved challenging for fire crews as they had to pull up on the land beside the marina and drag their hoses to the wharf, but they managed knock down the flames quickly, Murray said.
He said the man who escaped the fire was already being treated by a nurse who was staying at a nearby campground when firefighters arrived.
“Broken arm and a bunch of cuts to his hands and legs and all that, but he got out pretty good,” said Murray.
One of the boats sank shortly after crews started dousing it with water, but it was later hauled out with the help of airbags and a dive team.
Murray thanked the public for its cooperation during the tense operation, and also credited the Coast Guard with placing booms to contain oil or fuel leaks.
