A houseboat at Lake Barkley State Park Marina sustained major damage as the result of a fire Wednesday morning. According to reports to the New Edge, the fire began shortly after 10:00 after the boat owner had re-refueled at the fueling dock adjacent to the store at the marina.
East Golden Pond Fire Chief Ronnie Gray says the fire began at the dock.
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An eyewitness told the News Edge the boat was at the gas dock adjacent to the marina. After refueling, the boat’s engines were starting. Engine one and two both started without any issues, and the three passengers of the boat were ready to leave the dock area. They were pushed away from the dock by marina workers.
After drifting about two feet away from the dock, there was suddenly a crack/boom noise that came from the back of the boat, and suddenly smoke started to come out of it.
One of the male passengers of the boat then jumped in the water to get away from the smoke, another went to the front of the boat and climbed off on the dock. After all three male passengers made it onto the dock, the boat was let go to float farther into the water where it became fully involved.
The boat was transient and had been docked at the marina overnight. Reports also indicate the owner had just purchased the boat in Hendersonville, TN, and stopped at Lake Barkley for the night. He was en route to Buzzard Rock Marina in Kuttawa.
One of the occupants of the boat sustained minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital.
After the fire occurred, the boat was allowed to drift away from the marina to one of the wooded barrier islands near the main channel of the lake. The fire was allowed to continue to burn, with firefighters monitoring the boat to make sure it did not get out of hand.
The State Fire Marshall’s office will investigate to determine the cause of the fire.
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