Man praised for preventing larger fire after boat blaze

A man in his 40s escaped to shore after a dramatic boat fire on Hvaler, Norway, on Wednesday evening, reports Dagbladet. His quick actions may have averted a larger disaster.

The man, from Lillestrøm, noticed white smoke from the engine room before flames erupted when he opened the door. He managed to anchor the boat and, with help from passersby, reached land safely. The vessel later sank.

Kenneth Haraldsen, daily manager at Sand Marina where the boat was moored, praised the captain’s response. “He dropped the anchor so the boat stayed stable. A drifting boat in full fire is dangerous,” Haraldsen said. He added that the fire’s location—outside the main harbor—prevented it from spreading to other vessels.

Photographer Andreas Utberg Andersen, who arrived shortly after the fire began, said the boat had recently undergone refurbishment, including new engines.

Dagbladet has attempted to contact the boat’s captain and owner but has not yet received a response.