The Associated Press
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — As many as 20 boats at a Bellingham marina in northern Washington state have been destroyed by a fire.
The blaze was reported early Friday in a covered boathouse at the Squalicum Harbor marina and spread to several boats by the firefighters arrived. The roof of the boathouse collapsed and smoke drifted over downtown Bellingham, which is nearly 80 miles north of Seattle.
Assistant Fire Chief Roger Christenson told The Bellingham Herald (http://is.gd/LcHMgb) that firefighters are trying to account for a couple who lived aboard one of the boats.
Christenson told KOMO Radio the city had a fireboat until last year but it was not replaced due to a tight budget.
The Port of Bellingham says Squalicum Harbor is the home port to more than 1,400 commercial and pleasure boats.