Fire on boat was never serious, says fisherman

By ERIC MCCARTHY

FOR THE SOU’WESTER

Transcontinental Media/The Journal Pioneer

TIGNISH – A fire onboard a Prince Edward Island fishing boat off Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia Thursday wasn’t as serious as reports made it seem, suggests a member of the crew. “They made it sound like it was the end of the world,” laughed Tignish fisherman Dwayne Gaudet. “It was just a minor fire, just an electrical fire,” he said, adding he and his father James put the fire out with the aid of a fire extinguisher before help arrived.

The boat was about seven miles off shore when the fire broke out and Gaudet admitted it gave them a scare.

They had placed a distress call when they noticed the problem, and two Coast Guard vessels, a search and rescue helicopter and a Hercules aircraft were dispatched to their aid. They radioed back that the fire was out.

News reports Thursday indicated the men abandoned their vessel and climbed into a life raft after placing the distress call. Gaudet claims they never left their boat. And contrary to reports, Gaudet said the Coast Guard vessel didn’t put the fire out. It was out before the vessel arrived on the scene, he said.

The Coast Guard’s attendance was appreciated, though, as the fire disabled the engine. The Gray Spark was towed into Clark’s Harbour where repairs were carried out.

The Gray Spark was en route to Halifax on its way back to Tignish when the fire broke out at 10:30 a.m.

Gaudet said they would resume their sail Friday.