RedactedNarrative: On May 30th, 2020 at around 10:00 am, Operator 1 was launching his 1988 Stratos boat at Devil''s Step Boat Ramp on Tims Ford Lake.  Before launching, Operator 1 had the cover for the engine compartment open for several minutes to vent it.  Operator 1 closed the engine compartment cover just prior to backing the boat into the water.  Once Operator 1's boat was backed into the water and everyone was on board, he attempted to start the boat. The engine turned over several times but would not start.  Operator 1 stopped trying to crank the motor and then tried again.  As soon as Operator 1 tried to start his boat the second time, his wife told him that there was black smoke coming out of the engine compartment.  
  
  Operator 1 lifted the engine compartment cover and saw a lot of flames and black smoke.  Everyone then immediately exited the boat.  Operator 1 said that he did not use his fire extinguisher because he believed that the fire was already too big to put out with it.  After everyone was safely off the boat, another person at the ramp helped get the boat unhooked from the trailer so that Operator 1 could get his truck away from the fire.  The boat then drifted up against the wooden walkway of the boat dock next to the ramp and burned several of the posts.  The boat continued to burn down to the water line on its left side before it was put out.  The inside of the boat and everything in it was essentially destroyed by the fire.
  
  When interviewed by Officer 1, Operator 1 said that his boat had not had any recent mechanical or electrical work done, had not had any mechanical, electrical, or fuel problems.  Operator 1 also said that he did not smell any fuel until the fire was already going and he opened the engine compartment cover.  
  
  Operator 1 did say that his boat would normally start up immediately, so something was out of the ordinary in this case because the engine turned over several times without starting. Based on the information provided, investigating officers were unable to determine exactly what caused the fire.  Because the fire happened while Operator 1 was attempting to start the boat, and the fact that it was not starting as it normally would, it appears that there was a fault in one or more of boat systems, (electrical, fuel, mechanical), that caused the fire.
  
  Officer''s estimate of total loss for the boat and contents is $10,000.  Estimate to replace 7 posts on the boat dock is $300.