Two yachts destroyed in fire worth US$24m

An early morning weekend fire destroyed two yachts worth an estimated US$24m in what officials are calling the “biggest fire loss in Ft Lauderdale history”.

More than 60 firefighters were called to the Universal Marina about 4:30 Saturday morning were they found two yachts on fire, according to Ft Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan and various local news coverage.

Preliminary investigation shows the fire started aboard a 161ft Trinity called Lohengrin and then strong Northwest winds pushed the fire onto Reflections, a 107ft Christensen, but no cause of the blaze has yet been determined. The vessels were docked alongside each other while undergoing refitting and renovation.

The Lohengrin, with crew quarters for up to 10 people, is worth an estimated US$12m to US$16m, while the four-stateroom Reflections is valued at US$8m, according to Chief Gollan.

According to Gollan, the Lohengrin crew had been on the vessel Friday evening.

It took firefighters nearly four hours to control the blaze. An investigation is underway.