Sanibel fire crew provides aid in recent shrimp boat fire
The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District assisted with a boat fire last week off Fort Myers Beach.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that three people were rescued on March 17 at about 11 a.m. after a 63-foot shrimping boat caught fire in the San Carlos Bay near Fort Myers Beach. A Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach 29-foot response boat came upon the fire while out on patrol and removed the three occupants without injuries when they were unsuccessful in extinguishing the flames themselves.
A safety zone was established around the vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. A crew from the Sanibel fire district, along with fire boat crews from Cape Coral, Estero and Lee County, responded to the scene and extinguished the fire, along with the crew of the sister ship for the shrimping vessel.
The U.S. Coast Guard dewatered the vessel and was monitoring for pollution as of last week.