A large boat was discovered on fire in Cadboro Bay on Tuesday (July 18). The flames got as high as 15 feet on the watercraft before Oak Bay Fire Department was on the scene.
Crews let the fire burn on its own as it was “safer to let it burn,” according to Oak Bay Assistant Fire Chief Jason Joynson.
The fire did not come close to the shore as it was 200 feet away, contained and everyone was safe with no injuries, Joynson said.
Emergency crews asked residents to stay away from the beach around 8:45 a.m., but now it is safe for beach goers to return.
The Coast Guard took over the fire from the Oak Bay Fire Department at approximately 9:51 a.m., and since then they have let the flames slowly go out. Watching it sink into the water, Joynson said “the fire may still be smudging a bit.”
The cause for the fire is still unknown, but it has been deemed not suspicious.
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