Two victims suffer burns on 20% of their bodies after Port Townsend sailboat explosion

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. — An explosion and fire on a 50-foot sailboat in Port Townsend left two people with serious burns and prompted a large emergency response from East Jefferson Fire Rescue on Sunday, officials said.

East Jefferson Fire Rescue was sent to reports of an explosion and fire on a sailboat in the Glen Cove neighborhood, just south of the mill, at 11:58 a.m.

The 911 call was made by Vessel Assist, which received the rescue transmission from the people on the boat after they abandoned the vessel.

The two occupants were found in a dinghy along with their dog. It was not known whether the dog was injured.

Vessel Assist transported the two to the fuel dock at Boat Haven, where East Jefferson Fire Rescue paramedics were waiting. Both victims sustained burns to more than 20% of their bodies and were flown to Harborview Medical Center’s Burn Unit.

JeffCom assigned East Jefferson Fire Rescue Marine 1, a battalion chief, and several other EMS units to the call. The Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard were also notified.

During the boat fire, several other 911 calls were dispatched, leaving East Jefferson Fire Rescue Fire District 1 at “status-zero” for much of the time. “Status-zero” is defined as when all East Jefferson Fire Rescue 911 resources are committed to emergency incidents, leaving no 911 units available for the next 911 call.

East Jefferson Fire Rescue said its 911 units are assigned to multiple simultaneous 911 calls almost a third of the time, and that occasionally all resources are committed, resulting in a “status-zero” situation. During the threshold event, the agency initiated a recall of all volunteers and off-duty firefighting personnel to staff fire stations.

The U.S. Navy’s Engine 91, based on Indian Island, was assigned to a separate 911 call in Port Townsend. Other mutual aid partners, including Quilcene, Kitsap, and Clallam counties, were alerted but ultimately not needed.

As of 2:15 p.m., the incident is ongoing, and Marine 1 is still fighting the sailboat fire