V1 OPERATOR STATED THAT HE WAS NORTHBOUND IN THE ICW APPROACHING THE 79TH STREET CAUSEWAY, GOING BACK TO HIS DOCK AT NORTH BAY VILLAGE, WHEN SUDDENLY HE SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM HIS LOWER DECK AREA. WHEN HE OPENED HIS DECK HATCH HE NOTICED THAT HE HAD A SMALL FIRE ABOARD HIS VESSEL. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH ONE OF THREE EXTINGUISHERS ONBOARD V1, WITH NO SUCCESS. HE STATED THAT HE USED THE OTHER TWO EXTINGUISHERS, BUT THE FIRE KEPT GETTING WORSE. HE PUT OUT A MAYDAY CALL ADVISING OF HIS EMERGENCY OVER VHF RADIO ON CHANNEL 16. A WITNESS RESPONDED TO V1'S LOCATION. UPON HIS ARRIVAL, THE WITNESS STATED HE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH HIS FIRE EXTINGUISHER. AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT PUTTING THE FIRE OUT, BOTH THE WITNESS AND OPERATOR ABANDONED V1. V1 WAS BEING BLOWN WESTWARD TOWARDS SEVERAL HOMES ON THE BAY. FAST RESPONSE TOW BOAT RESPONDED AND PULLED THE BURNING VESSEL AWAY FROM THE HOUSES AND A DOCK. CITY OF MIAMI FIRE BOAT #1 RESPONDED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. FAST RESPONSE PULLED THE BURNING AND SINKING V1 TOWARD PELICAN HARBOR MARINA, WHERE A CITY OF MIAMI WRECKER COULD PULL THE BURNED V1 BEFORE SINKING.
MIAMI                         