FALMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - A boat in the water off Cape Cod went up in flames on Friday, prompting a large emergency response.
Firefighters say two adults and two children were on that boat when it caught fire in Megansett Harbor off Falmouth just after 2 p.m. The boaters sent a mayday over the radio and jumped in the water to safety.
Firefighters responding to the call found the vessel fully engulfed in flames.
Aerial video showed heavy smoke billing into the air as crews worked to knock down the raging blaze. A 45-foot Coast Guard response boat from Woods Hole was diverted to the area, officials said.
“When you have fire on a boat in the water, it’s intense for sure. It was scary,” said witness Jack Moore.
The four who abandoned the ship climbed into kayaks they had been towing and into other boats that stopped to help. The U.S. Coast Guard said all were safe and accounted for.
The charred boat was towed up the ramp at Nagansett Beach and taken away for an investigation.
“There was a boat that was literally shriveled up and browned like a piece of plastic that was lit on fire,” said Alissa Teta who witnessed the fire.
There were no additional details immediately available.
An investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.
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