Coast Guard continues investigation into Tuesday's Tahoe Queen fire
Submitted by editor on Thu, 08/18/2016 - 1:28pm
An investigation team from the Coast Guard is continuing their investigation into Tuesday's fire on board the Tahoe Queen, which suffered severe damage while it was docked at the pier at the Zephyr Cove Marina on Lake Tahoe's south shore.
At this point they have not completed their investigation and the cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
The popular paddle wheel cruise boat has been thoroughly examined by Coast Guard passenger vessel marine inspectors from Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco to ensure that it is structurally sound and poses no threat to the public. The Coast Guard will continue to monitor the condition of the vessel throughout the investigation.
The Tahoe Queen has about 800 gallons of diesel fuel and 100 gallons of hydraulic oil on board, none of which was lost during the blaze. The only fire-related items that ended up in the lake was the foam used in fighting the fire along with remnants of upholstery and carpet that were tossed out as the fire burned.
"Most of the fire damage is limited to the boat's pilot house and second deck," said Lt. Jake Aulner, Chief of Sector San Francisco's domestic vessel inspection branch told South Tahoe Now Tuesday afternoon. "This can be attributed to the tremendous response by Tahoe Douglas Fire Department to quickly extinguish the fire before it spread to the fuel tanks below."
Due to the sensitivity of the marine environment in Lake Tahoe, the Coast Guard's efforts are to minimize the impact as they work with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. They will continue to monitor the boat's structural integrity to ensure it poses no further danger to the public and conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire with the local fire marshals.
Follow South Tahoe Now here for updates.
