On 5/20/12 at approximately 1:30 PM, I was advised by ISP of a boat that had caught on fire at Heidecke Lake and provided me with the phone number of the boat owner/operator.

I contacted Operator and was advised the boat was on his trailer, but they were unable to trailer it anywhere due to the engine stuck in the down position.  He advised he would like it towed, so I had ISP start a tow and I started enroute to his location.  

Upon arriving at the Heidecke Lake boat ramp, Operator and his son were with the boat and trailer.  Operator advised he and his son were coming into the bay when their motor stopped working.  Son was operating the trolling motor and as Operator was trying to get the motor started Son saw that the motor had caught on fire.  Operator then put the fire out using the fire extinguisher on board.

They were then able to get the boat on their trailer, but unable to get the motor raised as it was trimmed down when it caught on fire.  The skeg was dragging when they brought the trailer out of the water.

At approximately 2:30 PM Morris Transmission arrived with a flatbed tow and towed the trailer and boat to Bedford Sales in Morris.

I completed a Boat Accident Report, gave Operator his copy, and explained it to him.  I then left the scene at approximately 3:00 PM.

I was unable to determine the cause of the fire, but on 6/12/12 at approximately 2:30 PM I talked with Bedford Sales and took pictures of the boat motor.  I was advised the fire started around the voltage regulator and the probable cause of the fire was the stator had possibly shorted out.

Morris                        