Boat owners devastated after newly sold vessel destroyed in overnight blaze that sunk four vessels in Hillarys

A young family’s dream boat was one of four that went up in flames at Hillarys Boat Harbour in front of stunned onlookers. The blaze that erupted about 10.30pm on Saturday night was the second fire at the marina in just over four months. The sale of one of the boats was meant to be finalised on Sunday. Instead of handing over the boat, the original owner refunded the deposit and was left too devastated to comment. “He owned it for 14 years, it was absolutely beautiful,” a friend said. “It’s horrible for him, we feel so sorry.” Shane Goodwin’s boat was unscathed. He could do nothing but watch as the flames spread. “I realised the fire alarm was going and everyone started reacting,” he said. “We grabbed some hoses but it just went up so fast. It was too dangerous so we left.” The damage was so bad that firefighters could not be sure where the fire started. The cause was still not clear on Sunday afternoon, with all four boats fully submerged. “On arrival, four boats were fully on fire,” station officer Scott Bullock said. “Crews were able to get multiple hose lines in place to protect other boats in the area. “By the time fire investigation arrived, all four boats were under water. “Once we receive more information, video footage, things like that, they can look at it further and we can come up with a conclusion from there.” A south-westerly wind helped push flames away from the jetty but it still took three hours for the blaze to be put out. A HAZMAT warning for “potentially dangerous” smoke was issued at the height of the firefight, with nearby residents warned to stay indoors and Saturday night revellers sent home.