The fire broke out at Jackson County Park in Scottsboro, Alabama.
January 27, 2020, 6:00 PM
4 min read
At least eight people died Monday morning when a massive fire swept through a dock on an Alabama river and destroyed 35 boats, authorities said.
The ferocious blaze broke out around 12:40 a.m. at a marina in Scottsboro and rapidly spread, Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Nicklaus said at a news conference.
In addition to the eight bodies recovered from the water, seven other people were injured and taken to area hospitals, Nicklaus said. He said the injuries were minor.
Nicklaus said a team of divers was searching the waters for more victims and the search would not be called off until everyone is accounted for.
At least 35 boats were destroyed in a massive fire that swept through a boat dock in Jackson County Park, Jan. 27, 2020, in Scottsboro, Ala.
At least 35 boats were destroyed in a massive fire that swept through a boat dock in Jackson County Park, Jan. 27, 2020, in Scottsboro, Ala.Sierra Phillips/WAAY
He said the 35 vessels that burned ranged from 20-foot pontoons to 40-foot houseboats that some people were using as their permanent residence.
Video footage showed a long dock with flames shooting from what appeared to be a row of houseboats.
Nicklaus said that 17 different agencies, including the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and neighboring fire departments, responded to the scene.
