A fire at a marina in Mystic, Connecticut, left two buildings and a boat destroyed and residents in the neighborhood fleeing their homes, according to local reports.
Firefighters from several area departments descended on Seaport Marine in Mystic to battle the blaze late Sunday night.
Mystic Fire Chief Anthony Manfredi Jr told Fox News that the fire was made more dangerous by strong southerly winds that stoked the flames in the direction of responding firefighters and nearby residences, which drove some concerned residents from their homes.
A local businessowner told Fox61 his employees were in the area when the fire broke out and described it to him as an "inferno."
The Independent has reached out to the Mystic Fire Department for comment.
According to Mr Manfredi, firefighters had the blaze contained around 12.30am Monday morning, though it had not fully been extinguished by that time.
He said a large storage and office building was destroyed by the fire, and an adjacent home was damaged. His department and the fire marshal are reportedly working to determine the cause of the fire.
While there was significant property loss and a temporary power outage caused by the fire, there are no reports of injuries at this time.
The marina maintains 122 slips along Mystic River, according to The Day, and was also home to the Red36 restaurant, which reportedly survived the blaze unscathed.
Locals whose kept boats at the marina rushed to the scene to check on their vessels but found themselves facing a wind-driven wall of flame.
Marianna Jasmine, whose boat was tied up at the marina, told The Day that she traveled to a park near the river when she heard the marina was on fire. She said the blaze was so intense that even in the park residents were hit by embers and were at risk of licking flames reaching them.
Mystic’s Chamber of Commerce asked for the public to support the marina owners after the destructive fire. “The wind was fierce and our firefighters and out-of-town responders worked tirelessly to keep Mystic intact,” the Chamber of Commerce said in a Facebook post. “Please keep Seaport Marine in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate thru this major loss.”
