Fishing Vessel Explodes in Valdez Small Boat Harbor

By Selah Bauer for Valdez City News –

A 30-foot commercial fishing boat, the F/V Fireman, exploded Wednesday evening at approximately 7:46 p.m. in the Valdez Small Boat Harbor leaving one man with minor injuries.

An unidentified 62-year old male was the only known person on board during the time of the explosion, according to Allie Hendrickson, Public Information Officer for the City of Valdez. The man was taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The Coast Guard was notified of the explosion at about 7:50 p.m., according to Billy Rogers, Coast Guard personnel who responded to the scene. Valdez Police officers, EMT’s and the Coast Guard arrived on the scene within four minutes of the explosion.

Hendrickson said the Valdez Fire Department inspected the boat shortly upon arrival and secured a propane leak. The explosion left a 200-foot debris field around the area. Broken glass and tattered wooden boards were strewn about the parking lot above the Small Boat Harbor where the F/V Fireman was located.

Lewis Coffman was at a nearby bar called The Wheel House when he heard the explosion.

“I ran down there [to the small boat harbor], to see what happened,” Coffman said. “As I neared the boat I saw a man at the bow of the boat and realized he must have been in the explosion.”

Coffman said he helped the man off the boat and escorted him up the ramp to the parking lot where he waited until the police arrived.

“I heard the injured man tell the police that he went to light the stove on the boat and it blew up,” Coffman said.

The owner of the boat, Marty Brown, was out of town at the time of the explosion and was unable to be reached, according to Steve Waller, maintenance manager for the Valdez Small Boat Harbor.

“The good thing is there was no major injuries, and it demonstrated the fantastic response timing of first responders,” Hendrickson said.

Waller said Harris Sand & Gravel was called in to help secure the boat by using a crane to flip the top of the boat back onto the bottom.

“If the boat is stable enough at that point, we’ll leave it overnight and move it tomorrow when the conditions are better,” Waller said.