On July 27th at around 1 am I was notified of a houseboat fire at Beaver Creek Resort, located in Wayne County on Lake Cumberland.  Upon my arrival at around 0130 hours I observed a large fire involving several houseboats located on Pier IV of the marina.  I also observed what appeared to be another houseboat on fire against the shoreline and separated section of slips located in a cove behind Pier IV.  As I arrived the Wayne County and Monticello Fire Departments, Wayne County Sheriff's Office, marina staff and bystanders were on scene and working to keep the fire from spreading to any additional boats and  attempting to extinguish the boats already engulfed.  I spoke to the fire crews and marina staff and found out that only Vessel 2 had been occupied at the time of the fire.  That individual had been awaken by his dog at around 0030 hours.  As he went outside he noticed fire coming from the stern of Vessel 1.  As the occupant of Vessel 2 attempted to get a water hose the fire greatly expanded and blew out the windows in the rear bedroom of Vessel 1.  The occupant phoned the marina as well as 911.  During this time the fire spread from Vessel 1 to Vessels 2 and 3.    
Bystanders on the marina pier as well as marina staff were able to relocate an additional houseboat to get it away from the fire which ultimately served as a fire break.  They were unable to get Vessel 2 moved.  The fire crews were able to stop the fire from spreading on the pier after their arrival.  Vessel 4 was moored near the vessels burning and suffered heat damage to it's fiberglass sides, canvas and vinyl.  A Yamaha personal watercraft resting on a ramp at it's stern suffered heat damage and melting and is labelled as Vessel 5.  Vessel 2 broke loose from the pier while on fire and drifted into a neighboring pier in the cove where it made contact with Vessel 6.  This was a work barge belonging to the marina.  The fire spread from Vessel 2 onto the deck of the barge subsequently burning a welder/generator combination unit as well as the outboard engine on the barge.  Vessel 7 was moored across the walkway on Pier IV and suffered heat damage which caused the entry door vinyl casing to warp, preventing secure closing.  As the fires continued Vessels 1 and 3 sank in their slips and Vessel 2 drifted back into the area while the fire department continued to attempt and extinguish the fire on board.  It also sank with only a small portion of the hull remaining.  Vessel 2 came to rest across the stern of Vessel 1.  While these vessels sank they came to rest across underwater bracing of the pier.  Those underwater braces failed as the combined weight of what remained of the houseboats and loss of flotation on 5 sections of piers due fire was more than they could structurally hold.
The State Fire Marshall's Office was notified as well as the US Corp of Engineers, Division of Water, Kentucky EPA and Lake Cumberland Area Emergency Management.  All sent representatives to the location.  With the amount of damage present as well as water damage and incidental damage incurred during the subsequent removal of what remained of the houseboats from the water by a salvage company, determining factors cannot be specified other than machinery failure related to Vessel 1.  This was reported in the rear engine compartment area and as no engines or generator were being utilized it would be consistent with an electrical component.  The State Fire Marshall's Office in also investigating this case and could potentially determine point of origin.  If this occurs, this report will be updated with those findings.  

Owners of all the involved vessels were contacted and interviewed.  None gave any indication of any ongoing issues related to their vessels nor could any provide any recent maintenance that had been performed on their vessels. 
Damage Estimates     
The following estimates are based on information obtained from the marina industry.  These estimates are just that, as each houseboat involved was a custom built boat.  
Vessel 1, 2002 Sunstar, $300,000.00 complete loss
Vessel 2, 2001 Sunstar,	$300,000.00 complete loss
Vessel 3, 2002 Sunstar,	$300,000.00 complete loss
Vessel 4, 2005 Sunstar,	$50,000.00, Approx forty feet of fibergass wall damage, canvas damage, vinyl damage on 	port side nearest Vessels 1, 2 and 3
Vessel 5, 2019 Yamaha, $3,600.00, Heat damage down port side for entire length, melting of plastics and seat 
   Vessel 6, 1974 Somerset Cruiser, $14,000.00, fire damage to outboard engine and generator/welder 
Vessel 7, 1998 Lakeview, $1,500.00, heat damage front entry door 
Marina Structure $100,000.00 Damage to five eighty foot pier sections and underwater brace structure, concrete pavers
301 KAR 6:030. Waterway safety requirements. 
Section 1. Accident Reporting. 
(1) The operator of a vessel required by KRS 235.250(2) to file an accident report shall file the report within five (5) days, except that an accident involving death or serious injury shall be filed within forty-eight (48) hours.
(2) An accident report shall contain the following information: (a) The registration numbers or names of the vessels involved; (b) The location of the accident; (c) The weather and water conditions; (d) The name, address, age and boating experience of the operator of the reporting vessel; (e) The name and address of the operator of other vessels involved; (f) The names and addresses of persons killed or injured, (g) The nature and extent of injuries; (h) A description of the damage to property and an estimated cost of repairs; (i) A description of the accident, including opinions as to the cause; (j) The length, means of propulsion, horsepower, fuel and construction of the reporting vessel; and (k) The names and addresses of known witnesses.
KRS 235.250 Duties of operator or owner in case of accident. 
(1) It shall be the duty of the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty, so far as he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, crew, and passengers (if any), to render to other persons affected by the collision, accident, or other casualty such assistance as may be practicable and as may be necessary in order to save them from or minimize any danger caused by the collision, accident, or other casualty, and also to give his name, address, and identification of his vessel in writing to any person injured and to the owner of any property damaged in the collision, accident, or other casualty. 
(2) In the case of collision, accident, or other casualty involving a vessel, the operator thereof, if the collision, accident, or other casualty results in death or injury to a person or damage to property in excess of five hundred dollars ($500), shall file with the department a full description of the collision, accident, or other casualty, including such information as said agency may by regulation require. When the operator of a vessel, who is not the owner of it, cannot submit the casualty or accident report required by subsection (1) of this section, the owner shall submit the casualty or accident report.
KRS 235.260 Status of accident reports. 
All required accident reports and supplemental reports shall be without prejudice to the individual making them and shall be for the confidential use of the department, except that the department may disclose the identity of a person involved in an accident when his identity is not otherwise known or when he denies his presence at an accident. No such report shall be used in evidence in any trial arising out of an accident, but the department shall furnish upon demand of any person who has or claims to have made such a report or, upon demand of any court, a certificate show
Lake Cumberland
Monticello                    