Watch: Boat on fire at Napier marina

A boat on fire in Ahuriri sent black smoke over the skies of Napier on Friday afternoon.

Napier Sailing Club staff member Ben Kearney said the fire appeared to be on a boat on the Napier City Council’s marina, on Meeanee Quay, on the Westshore side of the harbour.

“The fire brigade is there. There is not a lot of flames but a lot of smoke,” he said, about 2.35pm.

He said it was not part of the sailing club.

Witness Hayley Ralfe said she first saw flames coming from the boat about 2.20pm, including plenty of smoke.

She said the flames grew “really big” and a fire truck turned up about 10 minutes later.

The fire flared up again but was eventually put out around 2.45pm, she said, with two fire trucks on the scene.

Two fire trucks responded to a fire on a 12 by four metre boat generating smoke seen from Onekawa. Photo / Paul Taylor

”There are heaps of boats around it but it appears the fire is just on one boat.”

She said a lot of people at the restaurants and bars on the opposite side of the harbour were watching the blaze.

Black smoke from the fire was visible from Onekawa.

Black smoke from the fire was visible from Onekawa. Photo / Clive Holland

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said firefighters had arrived on the scene by 2.30pm.

A FENZ spokesman said two fire trucks had responded to a fire on a vessel that was 12 metres by four metres.

Jamie Nichol, Napier Fire Station senior station officer, said he had spoken with the officer in charge and the cause of the fire was still under investigation as of 4pm.

A Hato Hone St John said they didn’t respond to the incident.

A Napier City Council spokeswoman confirmed the boat was moored at Meeanee Quay during the fire, and the blaze was being investigated.

The spokeswoman said the boat would be towed to the sailing club dry dock for removal from the harbour and the owner had been contacted.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz