SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The captain of a burning 40-foot sailboat had to be restrained by police and firefighters as he tried to rescue two dogs during a fire at a fuel dock at Shelter Island, officials said Sunday.
San Diego Harbor Police and firefighters from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department were called to the burning sailboat docked at the High Seas Fuel Dock off the 2200 block of Shelter Island Drive about 9:45 p.m. Saturday, according to a San Diego Harbor Police Department statement.
Firefighters had the fire out within six minutes of their arrival, a San Diego Fire-Rescue Department dispatcher said.
The boat's owner was not onboard when the fire started, but his four dogs were, according to the police statement. He returned to the fuel dock while firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze and was restrained by emergency personnel for his own safety to prevent him from boarding the burning vessel, the statement said.
Firefighters removed the four dogs from the vessel, but despite their efforts, two of the dogs died, according to the police statement.
The two surviving pets were taken to a veterinarian, according to Harbor Police Sgt. Dave Fouser.
The fire caused about $20,000 in damage to the property and $5,000 in damage to the contents, according to the SDFRD. The fire cause remained under investigation, the dispatcher said.
