Crew of Two Rivers charter fishing boat safe after weekend explosion

TWO RIVERS – A charter fishing boat crew is safe after an explosion on the boat caused a fire July 13 in the Two Rivers harbor.

According to a news release from the Two Rivers Fire Department, the 32-foot charter fishing boat was fully engulfed in flames with heavy black smoke by the time the first fire vehicles arrived at the boat's location.

The crew saw the explosion and the fire while the boat was in the harbor just west of the Two Rivers Coast Guard Station. They escaped the boat and swam to shore. No injuries were reported, the news release said.

The U.S. Coast Guard was able to quickly secure the boat to the sea wall, which allowed fire crews to extinguish the flames from shore.

Chemical clean-up and containment was handled by a HAZMAT crew, and the fire is under investigation.

The TRFD received mutual aid from the U.S. Coast Guard, Manitowoc Fire Rescue, town of Two Rivers Fire, Mishicot Fire, Branch First Responders and Two Rivers Police Department.

Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com.