April 5th, 2023
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
On March 22nd, 2023, over 100 firefighters responded to a fire at a boat storage facility in Seattle, Washington. Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy black smoke coming from the docks and flames as tall as 70 feet.
Security camera footage quickly led the Seattle police to determine the fire was intentionally set and promptly arrested an individual with charges for first-degree arson. The fire damaged or destroyed a total of 58 boats. The storage facility was four levels high, with boats on all four rack levels. The Seattle Boat Company stored these boats for the winter season for customers and housed boats for sale and rent. They estimate the damage to be over $8.5 million.
Many of the boats were constructed with fiberglass and contained gasoline, oil, and other combustible flammable materials that posed challenges for the Seattle Fire Department to extinguish. The fire quickly spread causing the rack structure to collapse. Fortunately, the building next to the storage facility was able to be saved.
A property loss prevention inspection by Risk Logic can help to identify and reduce minimize threats to businesses. Risk Logic engineers perform property loss prevention surveys and provide standardized recommendations that keep your business and property safe.
Risk Logic can inspect your facility and provide recommendations, such as sprinkler protection, to prevent losses like this from occurring. If you would like a review of storage practices and loss prevention for your business, please contact Risk Logic. We will work with your company to determine acceptable options and alternatives to help keep your business safe.