Fourteen vessels at the Island Marine boat yard on Marina Street in Gros Islet were damaged or destroyed in a fire.
Emergency crews from the Gros Islet and Babonneau fire stations and Saint Lucia Fire Service Headquarters in Castries responded after receiving a distress call in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
Fire service spokeswoman Stacy Joseph said the responders found five boats in flames.
But Joseph explained that given the nature of the material and fuel stored on the vessels, the fire spread rapidly, eventually affecting fourteen boats before the responders controlled and extinguished the flames.
According to reports, firefighters battled the fire for about six hours.
A company spokesman disclosed that a security guard on duty noticed a fire in one of the vessels and summoned the fire service.
But the spokesman told St Lucia Times that the fire quickly spread.
He said Island Marine employs about fifteen people doing boat maintenance, repairs, sales and administrative duties.
“The objective is to get the business back on its feet,” the official stated.
He pointed out that although the fire affected the boat storage area, it had not impacted the ‘nerve’ of the company’s operations.
As a result, the service centre and boat haulage equipment were intact.
 Reports indicate that two dogs in the boat yard died in the fire.
Oh
After the Fire Service so close they once again took too long to reach at the location after being called. TOO MANY SPEED BUMPS FOR THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES TO PASS OVER. I followed a fire engine to a fire near my home and those guys had to stop at no less than 4 speed bumps in the g. islet area, losing valuable time to save life and property.
All I want to know is whether police will be investigating or not!
This is so bad…captain’s Del, share the info on the guy and car you caught! Smph these dudes were stealing whilst all this goin down, full extent of the LAW should be brought down on them! Woiiiii so Phocked up!
I want to know the cause of the fire. The Fire Department and the police should be conducting an investigation into the cause of this fire. We cannot allow our island to become lawless like Haiti. My heart goes out to those who sustained lost and damage.
i wonder if its a situation where this company was owing people and not paying and people took revenge for their money, but i sympathize for the dogs that lost their lives
The owner of this boat yard was a top brass in the previous government a proper investigation must be carried out if insurance are involved. Don’t let no dust stagnant, investigate it under a microscope with high powered magnifier lens.