Inside the Florida Blaze That Ravaged Two Megayachts Worth a Collective $20 Million
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A pair of multimillion-dollar megayachts were decimated by an unruly blaze over the weekend in what’s being called “the biggest fire loss in Fort Lauderdale history.”
At 4.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews were called to the Universal Marine Center after receiving reports that two large yachts were on fire. Over the next five hours, more than 60 firefighters and three fire boats battled the intense blaze, according to a statement by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. Fortunately, no one was injured during the fire.
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Chief Stephen Gollan told the Sun-Sentinel that the blaze first sparked on the 161-foot motor yacht Lohengrin, before winds caused it to spread to the nearby 107-foot Reflections. Gollan said Lohengrin—a custom-designed cruiser by Trinity Yachts—is valued at around $12 million, while Reflections is estimated at $6 million to $7 million.
Chief Stephen Gollan told the Sun-Sentinel that the fire first sparked on the 161-foot motor yacht Lohengrin, before winds caused it to spread to the nearby 107-foot Reflections. Gollan said Lohengrin—a custom-designed cruiser by Trinity Yachts—is valued at around $12 million, while Reflections is estimated at $6 million to $7 million.
While the cause of the fire is still unknown, both yachts had been docked next to one another as they underwent general maintenance, painting and renovation work. That arrangement, the battalion says, was less than ideal.
“Anytime boats are packed in a small area, strong winds can move flames from one to another,” Gollan told the Sun-Sentinel. Apparently, he also raised this concern during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show as well.
Authorities will now begin the investigation—scour video surveillance from the marina—to determine if the fire was intentional. We’ll update this story if more information emerges.
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