Investigation underway after fire destroys 3 boats at Granville Island dock

A quick response from fireboats is being credited for stopping a blaze that broke out at the Granville Island marina early Sunday morning from spreading.

Assistant Chief Keith Stewart says crews were called to the dock just after 2 a.m. and found three 40-foot boats almost entirely engulfed in flames. Because of the location, Stewart says it took the firefighters who were on land some time to set up their equipment.

The two fireboats, however, were able to access the scene quickly. Two of the three boats were completely destroyed – one of them sinking – while the other had significant damage, according to Stewart. Seven other boats had minor damage from smoke and water.

The Canadian Coast Guard was called in to secure the scene, setting up oil booms to contain any fuel that may have spilled.

Stewart says the cause remains under investigation, but that the Vancouver Police Department's Marine Unit was called in. A VPD spokesperson says they are looking into the possibility that the fire was deliberately set, estimating the damage at betwen $5 million and $10 million. 

No injuries have been reported.