A fire destroyed two houseboats and damaged another Sunday night at Center Hill Marina at Cove Hollow on Center Hill Lake. The marina itself was not damaged.
Central dispatch received the call at 7:29 p.m.
The fire apparently started on one of the houseboats which was docked at the “B” pier of the marina. The owner of the boat, who had been on board, left a pan of grease heating up on the stove while he went fishing off the pier. When the man returned to the boat, he found it mostly engulfed in flames. The fire also spread to boats on either side of the burning houseboat, destroying one and causing minor damage to the other. A dog on one of the boats also perished in the blaze.
The marina’s maintenance manager cut loose other boats in danger that were tied to the dock along the pier and he made sure persons on board those boats were alerted so they could safely evacuate.
Among those responding to the fire were members of the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Main station and the Liberty and Temperance Hall Stations. The department used it’s fire boat to gain better access. Officers of the TWRA were also on the scene along with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb EMS.
One of the firefighters became overheated while fighting the fire requiring treatment on site. The marina’s maintenance manager also suffered a minor shoulder injury.
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