Boaters safe after craft burns on Lake LBJ
Contributed/HSB Fire Rescue
Occupants of a recreational boat that caught fire on Lake LBJ Friday afternoon, June 9, escaped without injury. Most of the fire departments in the area responded to assist the Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department, but the craft burned to the water line and sank.
Occupants of a boat that caught fire on Lake LBJ Friday afternoon, June 9, escaped without injury but their craft was a total loss.
The first call about the fire came in to the Horseshoe Bay Police Department about 3 p.m. Friday and most of the fire departments in the area responded with mutual aid to the fire that was within the call area of the Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department.
“The occupants of the boat we're not able to extinguish the fast moving fire on board,” said a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) spokesperson. “They had to put on lifejackets and jump out of the boat to safety.”
“The occupants of the boat were transported by a bystander to the Lake LBJ Marina where Cottonwood VFD and Marble Falls Area EMS evaluated them for injuries,” said Fire Chief Joe Morris of Horseshoe Bay Fire Rescue.
“The Cottonwood VFD...determined the boat was actually drifting towards the north side of the lake,” said Morris. “The HSBFD responded in the HSB police boat, located the fire and were able to tow the burning vessel to a safe area on the shoreline.”
Granite Shoals Fire Rescue and the Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department responded with apparatus to reach the shoreline and finally extinguish the boat fire.
“The boat subsequently sank to the bottom of the lake,” said TPWD. “No cause for the fire was determined.”
