Seven Americans were rescued from a 45-foot recreational boat that caught fire on the Detroit River early Thursday, July 2, 2026. The vessel, which was American-owned, burned down to the hull despite initial efforts to extinguish the flames.
Rescue operation and fire reignition
Harbour Master Peter Berry received a call from Windsor police around 3 a.m. Thursday reporting a vessel in distress near Cameron Avenue, just west of downtown. Within minutes, police informed Berry that the passengers had put out the fire and the U.S. Coast Guard had arrived to evacuate them. However, as the Coast Guard removed the seven individuals, the fire reignited.
“Then they called me within minutes and said the people in the boat said the fire is out and the U.S. Coast Guard has arrived to take them off the boat,” Berry said. “When they took them off the boat, it reignited.”
All seven passengers were safely transported back to the mainland by the Coast Guard. The remains of the boat were towed to a marina in Detroit. A salvage company eventually extinguished the fire after a couple of hours and took possession of the vessel.
Dramatic footage and possible causes
Cameras in the Harbour Master office, part of the Windsor Port Authority in Sandwich Town, captured dramatic footage of the fully engulfed vessel. Berry noted that the exact cause of the fire is unknown but speculated on common causes.
“We don’t know the exact cause of this one,” Berry said. “But electrical fires, even fuel fires on boats . . . there’s a lot of tubing and wiring throughout the vessel. They might have put the engine fire out, but the fire has now followed a fuel line or an electrical line and it caught something else that would cause it to burn. And recreational boats are fiberglass and plastic, so they tend to burn quickly.”
Berry, who has worked at the Windsor Port Authority for 17 years, said he has witnessed several boat fires but none to this extent. “Usually, it’s an engine fire, or it’s overheated and they get stopped, they put it out and they call for assistance and the Coast Guards responds,” he said. “This is the only one I, in my 17 years here, that I’ve seen to this extent burn. I mean, the video I have, it was fully involved. There’s no question that this was not going to be a recovery of that vessel. It was gone.”
Safety tips for boaters
Berry emphasized the importance of having life jackets easily accessible for everyone on board. “If you get in a situation like this, and you need to get out of the boat for your own safety, life jackets are what’s going to save you and keep you buoyant,” he said.
To prevent fires, Berry recommended regular maintenance, including checking fuel lines for abrasions and ensuring electrical wiring is in good condition. He also stressed the importance of having fire extinguishers rated for the type of fire that could occur on board and making them easily accessible.
Transport Canada requires a minimum amount of safety equipment on pleasure craft, depending on boat type and length. Further information can be found in the government’s Safe Boating guide.
