A Sea-Doo in Sidney was engulfed in flames while two riders struggled to get off the watercraft near the Tulista Park boat launch.
At around 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, August 17th, the two individuals tried to take a ride on the vehicle and a witness said that when they tried to turn it on, it went up in flames.
“I saw the couple launching it and I kept walking by to head back home, and then I saw a big plume of smoke so I went back and it was on fire,” exclaimed Darcie Jennings, a witness to the blaze.
“The guy went to start it and it blew up,” she said.
Once they were off the vehicle, Jennings said it drifted toward the dock which also lit on fire and was minorly burned due to coming in contact with the engulfed Sea-Doo.
Sidney Fire Chief Brett Mikkelsen says there will be an investigation into how the Sea-Doo went up in flames in such a violent way.
Because of the damage, one-third of the dock space at the boat launch will be closed until it can be repaired, but the launch itself will remain open. No other boats at the launch were damaged.
The Tulista Park Boat Launch is open following a fire incident, but please be cautioned that part of the dock is damaged and not available for use.#Sidney #YYJNews @townofsidneybc @SidneyAnglers pic.twitter.com/1p8MJdpv2n
— Sidney Fire Dept (@SidneyFireDept) August 17, 2023
According to Chief Mikkelsen, one of the two riders suffered some first degree burns and was treated onsite.
Following the blaze being put out, fire crews stuck around to investigate and assess the potential environmental impact of the fire.
“It burned so quickly and so violently that it seemed like all the fuel was actually burnt off,” said Chief Mikkelsen. “There was no visible sheen of fuel on the water.”
The Sea-Doo sank in six to eight feet of water once extinguished but firefighters managed to retrieve it for investigation using a grappling hook.
