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| Multiple People Dead in Alabama Boat Fire, Officials Say | Multiple People Dead in Alabama Boat Fire, Officials Say |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Multiple people were killed and dozens of boats were destroyed in an early morning blaze Monday in Alabama, the authorities said. | Multiple people were killed and dozens of boats were destroyed in an early morning blaze Monday in Alabama, the authorities said. |
| The fire broke out just before 1 a.m. Monday at Jackson County Park in Scottsboro, said Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The park has a walking trail, boat ramps, and fishing and swimming docks on the Tennessee River. | The fire broke out just before 1 a.m. Monday at Jackson County Park in Scottsboro, said Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The park has a walking trail, boat ramps, and fishing and swimming docks on the Tennessee River. |
| He said that several people were rescued from the water. About seven people were taken to Highlands Medical Center in Scottsboro, where they were being treated for minor burns and exposure to the cold water, Chief Deputy Harnen said. | He said that several people were rescued from the water. About seven people were taken to Highlands Medical Center in Scottsboro, where they were being treated for minor burns and exposure to the cold water, Chief Deputy Harnen said. |
| “We have confirmed multiple fatalities,” he said. “We do not have a number at this point.” | “We have confirmed multiple fatalities,” he said. “We do not have a number at this point.” |
| He added, “We still have several unaccounted for.” | He added, “We still have several unaccounted for.” |
| He said that the officers were looking for people by calling a list of boat slip owners registered to the dock. Divers were also searching for people. | He said that the officers were looking for people by calling a list of boat slip owners registered to the dock. Divers were also searching for people. |
| The roof of the dock collapsed on the boats, a mix of house boats, pontoons and smaller water craft, Chief Deputy Harnen said. It was not clear what caused the fire, which was being investigated by the State of Alabama Fire Marshals Office and the Scottsboro Fire Department, he said. | The roof of the dock collapsed on the boats, a mix of house boats, pontoons and smaller water craft, Chief Deputy Harnen said. It was not clear what caused the fire, which was being investigated by the State of Alabama Fire Marshals Office and the Scottsboro Fire Department, he said. |
| Mandy Durham posted video and photos of the dock which she referred to as “B-Dock” completely engulfed in flames and lighting up the night sky. | |
| “This was the most sad thing that I have ever seen in my life,’’ she said in an interview Monday. | |
| Ms. Durham, 32, was on a neighboring dock about 50 yards away, where she was staying on her boyfriend’s house boat when the fire broke out. | |
| “We woke up and I was hearing screaming and popping noises,’’ she said, noting that noises seemed to be coming from exploding propane and gas tanks on the other boats. “We could see red through the window. We ran out to see what was going on.” | |
| She said they were watching the fiery scene to see what they can do to help when firefighters evacuated them to the shoreline where she recorded the videos. | |
| “The fire was so aggressive,’’ she said. “It was going from one boat to the next.” She said that one fellow houseboat resident was able to escape the burning dock by throwing his kayak in the water. | |
| Several agencies, including the Scottsboro Fire Department, the Scottsboro Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, were on the scene, along with volunteers. | Several agencies, including the Scottsboro Fire Department, the Scottsboro Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, were on the scene, along with volunteers. |
| The Jackson County Emergency Management Agency said on Twitter that the public should avoid all land and water areas around Jackson County Park. | The Jackson County Emergency Management Agency said on Twitter that the public should avoid all land and water areas around Jackson County Park. |
| Scottsboro, which has about 14,400 residents, is in northern Alabama, about 40 miles east of Huntsville. |