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Boat catches fire on Kempenfelt Bay (6 photos)

Barrie firefighters happened to come across the blaze while they were in the area, says captain

A boat fire on Kempenfelt Bay had Barrie police and firefighters busy this afternoon.

The vessel caught fire just before 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, approximately 100 feet offshore and close to the Southshore Centre.

Barrie fire Capt. Jake Lusted told BarrieToday that firefighters happened upon the blaze while driving by the lake. 

“We were coming down Lakeshore Drive and saw a boat fully engulfed, so we pulled over and our firefighters got to work,” Lusted said at the scene.

“We extinguished the boat and now have it tethered to shore," he added. 

The fire also re-ignited shortly after it had been extinguished along the shore, but firefighters were able to quickly knock it down again. 

No serious injuries were reported. 

Lee Broan was riding her bike along the path by the Southshore Centre and saw smoke in the air. She said she didn't see how it started, but saw people in the water.

“I didn’t see much, but I saw two people being helped out of the water by a Barrie police boat,” Broan told BarrieToday. “But the fire department got here and started putting it out from the land with the hoses from their truck. It wasn’t too far off land by then.”

Environmental services were en route to investigate if there was any concern from fuel leakage.