Investigators spend Friday trying to find cause of boat fire

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused a fire Thursday morning at the South Harbor Village Marina on Oak Island.

The fire tore through three boats, sinking one; other boats were damaged as well.

On Friday, the Oak Island Fire, Police and ATF spent most of the day pulling the sunken ship from Intracoastal Waterway.

“We’re pretty confident that the fire started on the boat that sunk…that’s the focus of our investigation right now,” said John House, Oak Island Fire and Rescue Chief.

The fire broke out at 5:30 Thursday morning at the South Harbor Village Marina submerging the boat’s hull.

Shay Simpson witnessed the fire. “The only thing sticking up on this one was the railing, nothing else.”

Investigators said heavy winds helped fan the flames and don’t think it was a case of arson.

The blaze destroyed two other boats, and damaged three others.

“The Boss Lady,” a charter fishing boat, was one of the unlucky ones.

“We’re having an appraiser come down, and uh, it’s a total loss,” said boat owner Lou Wise.

Lou Wise said many memories were made aboard “The Boss Lady,” a boat he’s owned for decades. Now investigators turn to what little is left to figure out what started the fire.

The three destroyed boats will be kept at a nearby boat yard while investigators try and determine the cause.

No one was hurt in the fire.