Vancouver firefighters, eager to deploy two new boats, were disappointed last week when one of the vessels was, ironically, damaged by fire during transport.



“It’s an unfortunate delay, but totally accidental. We have been really excited to get these new boats,” said Vancouver Fire and Rescue spokesman Capt. Jonathan Gormick on Tuesday.



The two boats, worth approximately $1.5 million apiece, were custom built for Vancouver in Kingston, Ont., by MetalCraft Marine to replace the fire department’s two aging water craft. The boats were supposed to be delivered in March, but were delayed because they were landlocked in ice following a bitterly cold winter in Ontario.



But as the long-awaited, 43-foot vessels were being transported to Vancouver by tractor trailer last week, there was a malfunction with the packaging, said Gormick. The fire broke out near Scugog, a town close to Durham, Ont.



“It appears an electrical connection shorted and a fire broke out,” he said. “It was on a big trailer and something may have bounced around … the packaging came loose and a fire started. The fire was contained in the engine, but it is being assessed to get the scope of the damage before it is repaired.”



There is no concern that the boat is unsafe because of the fire, said Gormick, adding that the vessel had been taken apart to transport.



He did not know how long it would take to repair the damaged boat, but said firefighters will continue to use the old boats until the new ones are ready. Gormick added that MetalCraft, or its insurers, will be on the hook for repair costs. The company did not return calls by deadline.



One of the new boats arrived on Monday, and is being held at a marina in North Vancouver until staff can be trained.



The old boats are past their 20-year service life and are costly to maintain, said Gormick. “These new boats are bigger and faster, capable of doing more and keeping crew safe,” he said. Each boat has a pumping capacity of 7,000 gallons per minute at 150 psi, and a complement of 40 specially trained firefighters.

Vancouver's long-awaited new fire boats ready to be shipped from Kingston, Ont. One of the boats caught on fire while being shipped to Vancouver.



Two years ago, when firefighters worked to put out a blaze on a trestle under the Oak Street Bridge, they had to wear full gear to protect themselves from the thick black smoke, but it was cumbersome to operate the boats in all that gear.



With the new boats, Gormick says the crew will be safe from the smoke in a pressurized cabin.



In 1991, a 20-year consortium was created between municipalities to provide a marine fire response service within the Port of Vancouver. The consortium was made up of six member agencies comprised of the port and five municipalities — Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Moody, and North Vancouver city and district. In 2011, the consortium was extended to 2013, and has since been extended on a month-to-month basis. Burnaby left the consortium in 2014, and service has transitioned from a consortium-funded and -staffed model to a Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service-led model.



The two new boats will also serve the other municipalities, which will pay a yearly fee for the service.

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