MIAMI – Multiple boats caught fire Tuesday afternoon in Miami.
Miami Department of Fire-Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll said firefighters received reports of a heavy column of smoke coming from Popeye Marina in the area of Northwest Eighth Street and Eighth Street Road.
Sky 10 was above the scene just before 6 p.m. and saw large flames coming from boats that were docked at the marina.
"I walked around and I heard another pop, and then that's when I saw the smoke and the flames and that's when I knew," Mauricio Vazquez said. "I saw people standing outside and I thought it's no secret what happened here."
The owner of the establishment said that there were two boats being worked on by a mechanic when one of the engines caught on fire.
More than 50 firefighters went to the scene.
The fire was intense.
Crews encircled the structure north of the Miami River by air, ground and fire boat.
"After so many minutes of fighting a fire, they have to go medical and get vitals checked and they also hydrate so they can go back into the staging and we start rotating the crews," Carroll said.
Jorge Vazquez, the business' owner, said he'd hoped to retire soon, but now the hope is the business isn't a loss.
"It's hard, but you never know what can happen in your life," he said.