Shelter Island firefighters respond to boat blaze

On Friday, June 8, the Shelter Island Fire Department (SIFD) extinguished a boat fire near Gardiners Island with the help of units dispatched by the Coast Guard and the East Hampton Police Department.

After receiving a call for assistance from the Coast Guard at about 2:30 p.m., one boat captain, two fire chiefs and two Search & Rescue-certified Coast Guard members — all members of the SIFD — responded in 15 minutes using a department boat, which was “not bad time at all,” according to Shelter Island Fire Chief Anthony Reiter.

In addition, the Shelter Island Police Department’s boat responded to assist the East Hampton P.D.

When the SIFD responders rounded Lion Head’s Point and could see the fire, the Coast Guard, the East Hampton P.D and Sea Tow, the private marine assistance provider, were already at the site.

A 28-foot Formula speedboat was fully engulfed in flames.

The SIFD responders were at the scene for an hour, providing full fire suppression. The three passengers of the speedboat were rescued by Good Samaritans and brought to the Devon Yacht Club without injuries.

“It’s great to see that all the efforts between the local fire department and the Coast Guard are working” said Chief Reiter.