Flames engulfed two luxury yachts worth over $20 million in Florida, sinking them - here's what happened

Brittany ChangNov 20, 2019, 01:11 IST

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue

Two luxury yachts worth over $20 million caught fire and sank Saturday morning while docked for repairs at a marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Nearly 100 firefighters battled the flames with foam and water for hours.
Authorities are now monitoring the water for any chemicals that may have seeped out from the yacht, such as diesel fuel.
Nobody was injured in the fire.
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Two luxury yachts worth over $20 million caught fire and sank early Saturday morning in Florida.

An initial group of firefighters arrived at the Universal Marine Center in Fort Lauderdale where the yachts were docked for repair at around 4:30 a.m., the Miami Herald reported.

By the time the firefighters arrived, both boats were already engulfed in flames and smoke that was visible from miles away. The fire was considered mostly contained by 9 a.m. Saturday, but isolated flames still smoldered throughout the day, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

Around 100 firefighters battled the flames by the time the fires were extinguished, according to the Miami Herald. Both fire and foam were used to combat the flames, according to nautical news site The Triton, including water from the canal sprayed by fireboats.

Authorities, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, are now monitoring the canal for any contaminants that may have seeped into the water from the yacht, such as diesel.

Nobody is currently believed to have been injured by the fires and the cause is still being investigated.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the boats:

See Flames engulfed two luxury yachts worth over $20 million in Florida, sinking them - here's what happened >>

The destruction and subsequent total loss of the yachts is "the biggest fire loss in Fort Lauderdale history," Fort Lauderdale Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan told the Sun Sentinel.

Source: Sun Sentinel

One of the ships — the "Lohengrin" — was 161 feet long. The other, "Reflection," was 107 feet long, according to The Triton.

Source: The Triton

The two yachts have different owners and were only docked close together as both were undergoing repairs.

Because both boats were undergoing renovations, they were covered in scaffolding when they caught on fire in the marina.

It is believed that the fire started on Lohengrin before spreading to Reflections, first responders told local news station WCAX.

Source: WCAX

Lohengrin is estimated to be worth between $16 million and $18 million, and the other , Reflection, between $2 million and $4 million, according to the Miami Herald.

Chip McElroy, the owner of the Reflections, has owned the yacht for 3.5 years and described the condition of the yacht a"total loss," in an interview with the Sun Sentinel.