RedactedNarrative: On 8-14-16 I responded to a boat fire that took place just south of the Harry Nice bridge on the Potomac River in Charles County Maryland.  When I arrived on scene the vessel, a 48 foot Sea Ray Motor Yacht, had been towed to the Morgan Town Generation  Station. The owner was with the fire crews on the pier.  The remaining passengers, his two sons and his girlfriend, were all accounted for and aboard a friend’s boat.   
  
      Operator stated the left port from the Columbia Island Marina and headed south on the Potomac at approximately 20 kts.  Approaching the Harry Nice Bridge Operator noticed a sudden drop in RPM on his port side engine.  His boys came up from the berth telling him smoke was coming in.  Operator activated the emergency shutdown switch and brought the vessel down. He states there was thick black smoke coming from the hold. He got his passengers in life jackets and they were picked up by a good samaritan.  They called for assistance on channel 16 and stood by the vessel.
  
        Observing the vessel from the outside I saw that the hull was blackened on the port side, which is the side of the vessel wear the engine lost rpm's. Stepping on to the boat I observed that all the windows had all been smashed in.  There was water and soot on the decks.  The deck of the berth was buckled and warped.  The hatch to the hold was charred blacked from the fire.   The vessel was towed to Colt Point Marina.  The owner has not as yet contacted the insurance company as of this writing and has not obtained an estimate.
  
       This case is closed pending. All events occurred in Charles County Maryland.
  