RedactedNarrative: On June 6th, 2018 at approximately 0315 hours I, Officer First Class of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, received a call from communications reference to a vessel fire in the South River. Communications advised me that a vessel had caught on fire and a Good Samaritan had rescued the sole occupant of the vessel.
  I responded to Liberty Marina(64 Old South River Rd #1, Edgewater, MD 21037) and met with Anne Arundel County Fire Department who was on scene prior to my arrival. The Officer in charge a Battalion Chief, advised me his Fireboat 41 was still on scene of the fire and they were still in the process of extinguishing it. BC advised me the fire was in the area of Almshouse Creek on the South River. BC also stated that the lone occupant of the vessel was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center for a precautionary checkup for possible hypothermia. BC provided me with the information of the Good Samaritan, who was also the original caller who called 911 and reported the vessel fire.
  At this point in time I responded to Anne Arundel Medical Center to check on the occupant of the vessel who had been possibly injured. The occupant of the vessel was located at the hospital and stated he had no injuries related to the fire but was cold and the fire department had taken him to the hospital. I asked Subject1 to explain what happened and he gave me the best recount to his ability. Subject1 stated he was aboard his sailboat that he lives on that was anchored in the area of Marker 15 on the South River. He said he started to get cold in the morning hours of June 6th, at which point he lit a portable propane heater in the cabin of his sailboat and fell asleep. Subject1 stated he was unaware of the time he lit the heater but woke up some time later to a seat cushion on fire.
  He said he wasn't quick enough to throw the seat cushion overboard and it caught the fiberglass on the vessel on fire almost immediately. Subject1 stated he was able to escape the cabin portion of the vessel and moved to the bow of the boat and started screaming for help. He stated he was able to see shore from where he was anchored and decided to jump in the water and swim to shore. Once he was in the water he said he continued to scream for help but thought he was capable of swimming to shore. At that point in time he said he noticed another vessel approach him in the water and a male subject threw him a flotation device and assisted him out of the water. He said the male subject later took him to Liberty Marina where he was met by the fire department. I inquired with Subject1 if he had been drinking or doing any drugs in the hours prior to the fire occurring which he was said he had been drinking. He said he currently had no extra money and he had lost everything that he owned on the sailboat.
  At this point in time I returned to Liberty Marina to continue my investigation. Upon return Fire Department had towed the partially sunken vessel into the marina. BC stated they needed to do this to make sure all the fire had been extinguished. I proceeded to take photographs of the vessel which are attached to this report. The fire had completely destroyed the vessel which was barely afloat and in the process of sinking. BC stated there was no need for a fire investigator due to the statement from Subject1 about the propane heater causing the fire. At this point in time the fire department cleared the scene.
  NRP-18-00706 - NRP AREA 3 - Maryland (NRP)
  Based on statements I believe this was an accidental fire and not arson.
  All of the above events occurred in Anne Arundel County, MD