Accidental fire destroys two boats in Milton

MILTON Fire chief Nick Marique said improperly disposed fiberglass shavings and remnants started a fire at a local boat making company Monday night that destroyed a pair of boats.

Police, firefighters and emergency personnel responded at 11:36 p.m. after a fire alarm sounded at 11 Industrial Way home of Eastern Boats.

Marique said Deputy Fire Chief Jake Bourdeau who also works at Eastern Boats sounded a first alarm after smelling smoke at the facility. Due to the size and nature of the facility, he added it was upgraded to a second alarm to bring in additional manpower.

After the fire was stalled by the sprinkler system, Marique said firefighters were able to extinguish the remaining flames with a single hose. As a result, he added the second alarm was canceled and Somersworth firefighters were sent home.

Marique said local firefighters were assisted by counterparts from Farmington, Middleton, Rochester and Wakefield. He added paramedics from Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester also responded to the scene while firefighters from Lebanon, Maine, provided station coverage.

Marique said firefighters completed their investigation early Tuesday morning.

The cause is believed to be improperly disposed of industrial materials, Marique said, adding the owners have had this issue with fiberglass shavings before and plan to re-address it.

Bob Bourdeau, owner of Eastern Boats, said he arrived at the business just before firefighters arrived. He added the fire occurred in a large, enclosed work area separate from the rest of the business.

Eastern Boats, which has three buildings, has more than 30,000 square-feet of work space, which includes designated areas for fiberglass, assembly and rigging operations, according to the companys website.

Bourdeau said the separate layout was done by design, for safety purposes. He added the sprinkler system was able to prevent the fire from spreading further.

Read more from the original source:
Accidental fire destroys two boats in Milton