Fire at Tacoma marina destroys small boatyard

TACOMA, Wash. — Owners are taking stock of what they've lost after a massive fire ripped through a popular Tacoma marina.

Officials said on Sunday that 30 boats burned at Narrows Marina as smoke from the fire darkened the sky over the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

Damage was estimated at $5 million, and Tacoma fire officials said that number could go up.

Nobody was injured in the fire, which engulfed the Aaron's Marine Service building that stores small boats.

Firefighters are trying to figure out how it started.

"It was just flames coming out the ceiling of the building - there was nothing left,” said employee Eric Burleigh.

Firefighters say many of the 911 calls came in from Chambers Bay at the U.S. Open.

But Eric Burleigh's call was from just feet away.

"You could hear gas cans popping in the background,” said Burleigh.

"Scares the hell out of me. I mean, I know a lot of guys back there lost their boats. I service their boats on a daily basis. And it sucks."

Hank Kovacs, 10, is upset that the boat he’s been riding for most of his life is likely burned.

"I feel sad and disappointed that it would go in flames and all of that is just gone,” said Kovacs.

Firefighters couldn't say for sure how the fire started -- only that it could have been a lot worse if it hadn't been confined to the one building.

"We got really lucky on this one,” said Allen Estes of the Tacoma Fire Department.

KIRO