As the sun began to set at Jackson County Park on Monday evening, emergency workers — dozens of them — were still searching the debris left behind by a fire that killed eight people.

It could take several days to confirm the identities of the victims, determine what caused the fire and clean up the debris, said Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Necklaus.

“This is absolutely devastating,” Necklaus said. "In my experience, (it’s) one of the most devastating things I’ve ever seen.”

Fire fighters were called around 12:40 a.m. Monday to the marina in Scottsboro, about 45 miles east of Huntsville.

Seven people were rescued from the water and taken to a hospital for treatment. Necklaus said they weren’t seriously injured. Most were suffering symptoms of hypothermia because of the cold water conditions.

This is a look at the dock that caught fire. About 35 boats were destroyed, Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Necklaus told me. pic.twitter.com/bcGZq9S7Y5 — Ashley Remkus (@aremkus1) January 27, 2020

The survivors recalled the harrowing sounds of people screaming and wood crackling.

Georgia resident Michael Watson said his aunt lived with her husband and five children on one of the boats that burned. He said his aunt was confirmed among the dead. Officials have not released the names of any of those killed.

The brother of another fatality victim told AL.com that he appreciated the prayers and support their family has received. The man, who survived of the fire that killed his brother, said he wasn’t ready for a formal interview because of the trauma he experienced.

Light rain fell at the scene Monday morning as Phillip Pace Jr., who was also rescued from the water, recalled what happened. Pace, of Trussville, was staying on a boat for a duck hunting trip with friends. He said he heard cracking sounds before seeing the blaze on the dock.

“You could hear people screaming,” he said in an interview with AL.com.

After trying to move others to safety, Pace said, he and his friends got onto a boat and moved away from the blazing dock. But their boat caught fire when it collided with a blazing pontoon, he said That’s when, Pace said, he jumped into the water and swam an estimated 60-100 yards before a rescue boat pulled him back to shore.

Tommy Jones, a Jackson County Park marina resident, said he watched helplessly as a small boat containing a woman and her children was engulfed in flames, the Associated Press reported. “There was nothing we could do,” he said.

Mandy Durham, who was with her boyfriend in a nearby boat, told the Associated Press that they awoke to the sound of screaming and popping noises.

“When we woke up, we could see red through the window,” Durham said. “Within 15 to 20 minutes, the whole dock was in flames. All these boats have propane tanks and gas tanks, and that’s a lot of fire.

“There were families there,” Durham added. “It’s devastating.”

Authorities believe 35 boats were destroyed. Multiple boats sunk, and crews were still working to pull them from the water. As of Monday afternoon, there weren’t any people listed as missing or unaccounted for, officials said, but as crews remove debris from the water in the coming days, they will check for additional victims.

Julie Jackson, who lives with her husband and son in a houseboat on another dock that did not burn at the marina, said the fire scene was scary.

“The worst thing for me is you could hear people screaming for help, and there was nothing we could do," she told the Associated Press. “Nobody could do anything to get to them.”

It was a challenge for rescuers to reach the victims early Monday, Rocky Harnen, the Jackson County sheriff’s chief deputy, told The Associated Press: “The damage from the dock has fallen on top of the boats, and some of the boats have drifted off,” he said.

The aluminum roof and wood structure of the dock were destroyed along with about three dozen boats. Crews also were using booms in an attempt to contain fuel in the water, he said.

Due to ongoing firefighting/rescue operations, please avoid the areas around Jackson County Park, both land and water, until further notified. — Jackson County Ala. Emergency Management Agency (@JacksonCoAL_EMA) January 27, 2020

Necklaus asked for prayers for the families of the victims and for the community and emergency crews. He said hundreds of people came to the scene to help or support the families and first responders. At least 20 agencies from the local, state and regional level have helped with the case.

The names of the victims weren’t yet being released, and the cause of the fire remained unknown as of Monday afternoon. Necklaus said his department and local police will work with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to determine the cause of the fire.

The Associated Press and AL.com reporter Ivana Hrynkiw contributed to this report.