At one of the jetties in the Marina Punat on the island of Krk, a motor yacht burned again in the evening hours of March 31, 2021. Only through the quick and professional intervention of the marina fire department and the fire departments of the surrounding villages, it was possible to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring boats. No persons were harmed in the fire.
Fire source in the salon of the motor yacht
According to initial findings of the forces deployed, the fire on the motor yacht, which was moored at the jetty of Marina Punat, started from the salon. Shortly after the fire was reported, the marina firefighters were on the scene with the fireboat to cool the outer walls with water in the first attack on the fire object to protect neighboring yachts from the fire spreading.
Two fire engines and a fireboat on the scene
Shortly after, two more firefighting platoons arrived at Marina Punat. Equipped with protective suits and breathing masks, they tried to locate the source of the fire on the motor yacht in order to launch a targeted firefighting attack. Carefully and with extreme caution, they opened the door of the salon, which was totally filled with smoke. In such cases there is always the danger of a deflagration and spreading of the fire if oxygen is suddenly supplied to the source of the fire. Fortunately for the deployed forces from Marina Punat and the surrounding area, the gases inside the yacht did not ignite, so they were able to quickly start the actual firefighting work.
High damage caused by fire, smoke and extinguishing agents
According to the current state of the investigation on site, the cause of the fire can not yet be conclusively reported. One assumes however firmly that the fire had its origin in the salon. Also to the height of the damage the intervening task forces could not make yet further data, since only after an inspection of the yacht by a fire expert can be judged, to what extent extinguishing water and smoke development caused further damage.
Extinguishing work very professional
The numerous boat owners, who are already busy winterizing their yachts in the week before Easter and some of whom took advantage of the sunny weather for their first trips, were impressed by the professionalism of the extinguishing work in Marina Punat.
Already several fires in the Marina Punat
Such scenarios are also repeatedly the subject of firefighting exercises in Marina Punat, and not entirely without reason, because in the past there have been repeated fires, some of which caused damage in the millions. Well remembered by all permanent residents of Marina Punat should be the fire in mid-May 2019, in which it came to a major fire on the dry berths Brodica belonging to the marina, in which more than seven yachts were a prey to the flames.
Major fire in 2012 and 2019
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Two days before Saint’s Eve in 2012 there was probably the largest fire in the history of the marina, when more than 20 boats burned due to a fire, coupled with violent explosions. Due to the bora, the firefighters deployed had little chance against the flames, as the stormy winds kept fanning the fire.
Also in 2020, a Sealine 38 burned
And also last year, in mid-August a SeaLine 38 in the Marina Punat burned out completely. To fully extinguish it, the yacht was first completely flooded in the container basin of Marina Punat before it could be lifted ashore.
Marina equipped for fire on yachts
Despite the accumulation of fires in the Marina Punat, however, should not be ignored: The marina, with its well over 800 berths, is one of the largest marinas in Croatia. The probability of a fire breaking out is therefore much higher than in smaller marinas in Croatia. The marina is now prepared for such fires and has taken comprehensive measures, including its own marina fire department with fire-fighting boat.
