35' Sonic Burns in Barnegat Bay
 

A 35' Sonic apparently burned to the water line a few miles south of the Toms River/Seaside Bridge. A fireman I know said no one was injured, the boat was totaled after burning for almost an hour. Does anyone have any details? Was this an OSO members boat?

TTT

www.ocobserver.com

Next to back issues, click on "S" for Sunday's articles-I could not get the direct link to work.

Holy crap. On sunday, I was 2 boats down from a sonic, about 35 feet....with an arch. He left the F cove around 5:30 or so. Seemed like a good guy. Hope it wasnt them....I didn't see anything in the Asbury Park Press.........

Boat burns, sinks in Barnegat Bay

Published in the Ocean County Observer 8/24/03

By MICHELLE MASKALY
Staff Writer
BERKELEY -- A 35-foot Sonic cigarette boat caught fire and sank yesterday afternoon leaving its owner and another man uninjured, police said.

The owner of the boat Edward Kaczmarek, 39 of Lacey Township, and his friend Joseph Regan, 33, of Brick jumped over board and were picked up by another friend who they were following in Barnegat Bay at the time, said Trooper Scott Kulpinski of the State Police marine unit in Point Pleasant Beach.

According to Kulpinski, the boat's occupants reported that the fire began after the boat overheated. When they went to the engine compartment to fix it they said the boat caught on fire, Kulpinski said. The pair had to jump from the boat due to the flames.

"The vessel was totally engulfed in flames," said Kulpinski.

It took officials about 30-45 minutes to put the fire out, however, the boat could not be salvaged, Kulpinski said. The boat sank and is being brought up by Boat U.S. of Barnegat Light, which will handle the towing operation.

"When it comes up on land, the arson unit will investigate it Monday," Kulpinski said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. It was reported at 5:45 p.m., and a Coast Guard vessel was on the scene 15 minutes later. The incident occurred one nautical mile from Island Beach State Park, police said.

State police are handling the investigation.



from the Ocean County Observer

Published on August 24, 2003



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