Firefighters from four counties converge on The Boatyard at Christchurch. (Photo by Larry Chowning)
Firefighters from four counties converged on The Boatyard at Christchurch the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 15 to battle a blaze in a large boat storage building where more than 100 boats were being stored. Middlesex County Emergency Service Director David Layman said Wednesday at the fire that the cause of the fire or the amount of damage was yet undetermined.
“We think we have it under control,” said Layman. “I’m doing better now than just a while ago when we were uncertain of what might happen with all those boats inside.” No injuries were reported.
Christchurch boatyard blaze destroyed three boats
A fire destroyed three boats and heat and smoke damaged the other 90 some boats in a boat storage facility at The Boatyard at Christchurch near Urbanna on the Rappahannock River on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
More than 50 firefighters from four county fire departments fought the fire, said David Layman, Middlesex County’s emergency services director. “We were very lucky that we did not have a major catastrophe. What I think saved us and kept the fire from spreading was the quick response of all the fire companies that came to fight the fire,” he said.
“We got the fire call at 7:43 a.m. and when I arrived smoke was pouring out of the building,” said Layman. “We did not open the doors until every thing was set to go inside because we were afraid that wind coming through the door might push the fire towards the other boats.”
Gloucester County firefighters used a ladder truck by extending the ladder through the high sliding doors on the front of the building which enabled firemen to blast water down on the fire, said Layman.
The Boatyard at Christchurch as seen from the air.
“There are 100 boats in the shed. We figured most had fuel in them and were made out of fiberglass which is highly flammable,” he said. “The fire never left the building or burned through the roof. We did cut through the roof and we’re able to contain the fire to one corner of the building.”
The fire is being investigated by the Virginia State Police to determine the cause. A HAZMAT team came from Newport News to handle hazardous materials and to control water runoff along the shore.
The U. S. Coast Guard was called and arrived on the scene and Environmental Protection Agency officials were notified of the fire, said Layman. Fireman pumped water from the Rappahannock River and from fire hydrants located about two miles out on Route 33 into tanker trucks.
White Stone Volunteer Department, Gloucester County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, Kilmarnock Volunteer Fire Department, Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department (Urbanna), Lower Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad (Deltaville), Hartfield Volunteer Rescue Squad, Upper Middlesex County Volunteer Fire Department (Water View) and Middlesex County Volunteer Rescue Squad were also at the fire.
“No one was hurt and most of the boats were saved,” said Layman. “We came out on this much better than I thought when I drove up on the fire this morning.”
A fire destroyed three boats and heat and smoke damaged the other 90 some boats in a boat storage facility at The Boatyard at Christchurch near Urbanna on the Rappahannock River on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
