Frightening images of recent boat fires have ignited concern among South Florida recreational boaters and firefighters after several resulting fatalities and injuries.

Authorities have not released the causes of recent fires, including one at Lauderdale Marina, near 15th Street Fisheries restaurant in December, and another at a popular anchoring spot known as The Sandbar in Fort Lauderdale on Memorial Day weekend.

In the state with the highest number of registered boaters, the marine divisions of Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and the City of Miami Fire-Rescue are reminding boaters to review their safety procedures and equipment as the number of boat fires rise.

City of Fort Lauderdale statistics show four fires in 2021, 11 in each subsequent year, followed by 15 fires in 2024, according to Frank Guzman, public information officer with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. Although not all have been serious, any fire is dangerous and 2025’s toll is already at six. Fires can start for a variety of reasons, but there are a few common situations, Capt. Justin Weiss of Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said by phone in June.

“Fuel in the bilge is one of the most common issues that cause the explosions,” he said. “We’ve had a few boats in our area, and across South Florida, explode right after fueling due to the blowers either not being turned on or not working properly.”

A quick systems check, pre-trip, hopefully can help keep everyone safe, he said.

New inboard boats with gasoline engines, built since 1980, are required to have a blower or an operable ventilation system, according to the U.S Code of Federal Regulations. Some are automatic and some are manual operations. But it still comes down to the operator being alert.

“When it comes to maintenance, you have to keep up with the boat. Do a quick once-over and check your boat before you leave the dock,” Weiss said. “Look in the bilge to make sure you don’t see, or smell, any fuel. Open up the engine compartment and look, and touch, your fuel lines, connections, and fittings to make sure nothing is leaking.”

While you are doing that, test your blower, he added. “Make sure it’s working properly, so if you are going to fuel up, you have peace of mind that it’s going to work when you turn it on.” A safe blower procedure is to hang up the fuel pump after fueling and turn on the blower. “Let the exhaust pull any vapors out, get the boat situated, go inside and pay, and by the time that’s done, four or five-plus minutes have gone by,” Weiss said.

“At that point, you are in a much better place to start up and enjoy your day.” Additionally, many South Florida boaters rent craft. Weiss recommends they also do a quick runthrough, even though the rental company typically does the fueling. “Shiny water that smells like fuel isn’t good,” Weiss said. In the case of an incident, the marine team with Fort Lauderdale Fire and Rescue has two fireboats and a full dive team, ready to respond.

“When we fight boat fires, we will do one of two things: Secure it to the dock, if there are no exposure issues of other vessels nearby or, we have the option of pulling that boat out of its slip, away from the dock and other vessels, anchoring it in a safer location and fighting that fire out there,” Weiss said.

“Once the boat is secure, we will gain access to the vessel and make our way to the seat of the fire just like any other fire,” he said.

Ideally they can manually open compartments, but they have saws and equipment to cut decks open to find and fight the fire.

“The one big difference in a boat fire is the amount of water we use. Our goal is not to sink the boat,” Weiss said.

“We are trying to use the least amount of water possible to get the job done, and with that we use a lot of foam. We also have dewatering devices, pumps, on our boats that we put into use as soon as we can, to start pulling the water out of the hull and raising the boat back to a safe and stable level.”

City of Miami Fire-Rescue’s Lieut. Pete Sanchez, public information officer for the city, said boaters typically feel safe out on the water. His department has dealt with boaters who run aground, hit something or hit another vessel, all of which can cause fire because such impacts prompt leaks and ignite vapors.

The department’s safety recommendations include:

• Do not fuel the boat while engines are on, just like with your vehicle.
• Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved ABC extinguish
• Use manufacturer chargers to prevent over-charging or malfunctions with rechargeable equipment, including phones, radios and GPS handheld devices.
• Monitor the weather because it can change in an instant, he said. Lightning strikes are a possibility.
• Do not do fireworks on or from a boat because of fiberglass, fuels, oils and other potential flammables.

“Basically, you’re asking for something to happen,” Sanchez said. “These accidents are avoidable if you just don’t do it.

“At the end of the day, accidents do happen, but we recommend everyone be prepared,” Sanchez said. “We hope that the public listens.”