On 5-11-13 Officer responded to a boating incident reportedly of a fire in the Wickford boat yard. When Officer arrived on scene the fire was extinguished and it was determined that no one was on board at the time of the fire.  He then located the owner, who stated that he and his wife stayed on the vessel the previous evening but spent the day out. When he returned to the shipyard that evening, he saw his boat on fire. Officer then interviewed the owner of the adjacent boat, who was on his vessel at the time of the fire. Neighbor advised that there was lightening in the area, his lights on his boat flickered and then he smelled smoke and observed the adjacent boat on fire. According to DEM Police and State Fire Marshall investigators, the fire started and spread up and towards the stern from where the stove was located.  They observed fire damage to the exterior hull area on the starboard side of the boat adjacent to where the stove was.  The damage appeared to be caused by heat and fire that took place on the interior of the vessel and it further indicates the fire started in the area of the stove.  An inspection of wiring revealed that different gauge wires appeared to be connected to each other. It appeared thicker wire coming from a power source was connected to lighter gauge wire in the area of the stove. It also appeared that non-factory wiring was in the storage area on the port side of the vessel. State Fire Marshall’s office advised the cause of the fire is undetermined; however, it did start in the area of the stove.
NORTH KINGSTOWN