Boat catches fire near Refuge Cove on West Redonda Island
Cortes Currents
English - February 10, 2022 14:53 - 1 minute - 3.67 MBNews cortes island discovery islands quadra food security energy indigenous nations Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - At 9:08 AM on the morning of February 9th, 2022, a Squirrel Cove resident phoned the Coast Guard about a fire just north of Refuge Cove, on West Redonda Island. What she thought might be a house engulfed by fire turned out to be a 34 foot wood and fibre glass boat close to the shore. The Klahoose water taxi and boats from Refuge Cove responded to the emergency.
The boat owner is an oyster farmer, who is well known in Squirrel Cove. He escaped from the fire in a canoe.
Coast Guard Communications Advisor Michelle Imbeau said the
‘Cape St James,’ one of two Coast Guard lifeboats stationed in Campbell River, was tasked to attend. It escorted the boat owner to the Squirrel Cove dock by 11 AM.
Cortes Island emergency personal were quick to respond. Fire Chief Mac Diver was waiting on the dock. Overnight accommodation was found for the boat owner.
Imbeau said, “The Campbell River Lifeboat crew are now monitoring the fire from a safe distance. They will remain on scene until the situation is under control and the fire is out. The Canadian Coast Guard does not fight vessel fires. Once the fire is out, the vessel will be assessed for next steps, up to and including salvage.”