On 6/23/2013, at about 10:15 pm the vessels were moored/docked in "J" dock at Des Moines Marina.  Explosion on V1 ignited a fire extending to multiple nearby boats & the wood framed & metal roof dock, extensively damaging the boats, dock, & roof.  Two of the three people aboard the boat of origin (V1) sustained burn injuries.  Most of the fire damage was centered around Slip 13 & extended from Slip 11 out to Slips 17 & 18.   

V1 owner reported going down to the dock after work on 6/23 to meet with victims to talk about work they had been doing on the boat (cleaning, polishing, etc.).  He said they got to the dock at about 10:00 pm & as they walked up to his boat (V1) he started smelling a strong odor of gasoline.  When he unzipped the canvas on the boat he was hit with a very strong odor of gasoline.  He opened the door to the galley & the smell of gasoline was over powering.  V1 owner went to the stern of the boat with Victim1 & opened the engine compartment hatch to try & locate where the odor was coming from.  V1 owner found 1 to 2 inches of gasoline in the bilge which he said is normally dry.  V1 owner stated he opened the hatch to the engine compartment & Victim2 was turning on lights in the boat.  He said within seconds there was a very large explosion in the galley where Victim2 was at that time.  He ran to get a fire extinguisher but within seconds the fire was too large to combat.   

V1 owner said that Victim2 came running out onto the dock & ran the wrong direction getting trapped by fire.  Victim1 got blown off the boat & they both had to run off the dock to escape the fire.  V1 owner said the boat was turned off & was dark when they entered the galley & was unsure of the source of ignition.   

V1 owner said the motor had been replaced last year & the drive unit had been rebuilt this year.  A new water tank had been installed along with new bilge pumps,  wiring, & new fuse panel.  He was out in the boat 2 days prior to the incident & the boat died.  He brought it back in using the kicker motor.  Once at the dock the main motor fired up & ran fine. 

Heat & smoke damage centered around Slip 13 on the south side of the dock.  Fire, heat, & smoke damage extended up & out from Slip 13 encompassing the dock, wood framing, roof structure & metal roof.   

Slip 11  V3 had extensive fire, heat & smoke damage to top & starboard side 
Slip 14  V4 had extensive fire, heat, smoke & melting damage to stern & across length of boat to bow & down to water line 
Slip 15  V2 was floating up against “I” dock south of “J” dock sitting low in water w/ extensive fire, heat & smoke damage (heaviest on port side) from bow to stern down to water line 
Slip 16  V5 was floating up against the north side of “J” dock in front of Slips 18 & 20.  Boat burned down to water line w/ most fire damage to stern & starboard side & rear cockpit area 
Slip 17  V7 had fire, heat, smoke & melting damage to port side & top of boat 
Slip 18  V6 had radiant heat damage to starboard side, top & canvas 

No alcohol involved nor violations of PFD regulations.
Des Moines