Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 821 Dock Street
Incident Type: Sunk Boat
Narrative: At 7:44 a.m. firefighters responded to a report of a boat that had sunk and was leaking fluids.
Crews arrived to find an approximately 32’ boat listing while tied up at its slip. Operationally, crews stabilized the boat, deployed absorbent pads to contain leaking fluids, and set up a “fog” nozzle to suppress any potentially dangerous fumes. The Incident Commander coordinated the environmental response with the US Coast Guard, Department of Ecology, City of Tacoma’s Environmental Services and Vessel Assist for salvage operations. This is the second sinking incident in the past two months and illustrates the value of preventative maintenance on watercraft.
According to the Boat U.S. Foundation, the most common reasons boats sink at the dock are:
- Leaks at underwater fittings
- Heavy rain or snow
- The boat getting caught under a dock or banging against a piling
At least twice a season inspect any fittings above or below the waterline, check your hoses at thru-hulls and make sure your bilge pump is in proper working condition.
