118-foot Hatteras yacht explodes had 1,500 gallons of fuel 80 firefighters on scene

BEAUFORT — Federal, state and county agencies are investigating a fire Saturday at Jarrett Bay Marine Industrial Park that destroyed two boats and heavily damaged two others, a county official confirms.
The State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is working with the County Fire Marshal's Office and the County Sheriff's Department to determine the cause of the fire that destroyed the 118-foot Hatteras yacht Montana Moon and heavily damaged or destroyed three other boats, according to Eddie Lewis, interim county fire marshal.
Details of the investigation are not being revealed at this time.
The Montana Moon, a luxury boat owned by Paul Khakshouri of New York City, was a total loss according to Mr. Lewis. The vessel was for sale for $2 million.
Firefighters from across the county responded to a call from the industrial park about 3 a.m. Saturday to find smoke billowing from the Montana Moon.
Mr. Lewis said the vessel had a main deck and three lower decks that collapsed one on top of the other during the fire.
The other vessels near the yacht were heavily damaged or destroyed as heat from the burning yacht blistered and burned their hulls.
The 47-foot sailboat Surrender, owned by Alex Medawar of Nantucket, Mass., was destroyed by 8:30 a.m.
The Eagle I, a 102-foot steel-hulled vessel owned by John Lewis of Reedville, Va., and used for dinner cruises, suffered heavy blistering on its hull from the heat.
A 46-foot Bertram sport fisherman owned by Mike Hill of Kinston was heavily damaged.
Mr. Lewis said a dollar amount could not be established for the losses at this time.
"The owners are waiting for their insurance companies and adjusters to make the final determination," he said.
Multiple departments assisted on scene while others hauled in firefighting foam and other equipment.
In the meantime, wives, friends and supporters continued to bring in food and water as the boats continued to burn for some 12 hours. Crews did not clear the scene until after 3 p.m. Saturday.
Beaufort Assistant Fire Chief Richard Lovick said the fire was one of the worst he's fought.
"The yacht had 1,500 gallons of fuel in her tanks," he said. "But, the tank didn't breach until 12 hours into the fire and only leaked a little then."
He said firefighters were also dealing with heat exhaustion.
"Some of the crews were given IV (intravenous) fluids aboard the Morehead City rehab bus," he said. "That bus was a lifesaver Saturday night."
The mobile medical ambulance bus was acquired by the Morehead City Fire Department in 2011 and is used to respond to mass casualties, assist in evacuations or used as a rehabilitation center for fire and EMS when on the scene of fires.
He said the collapsed decks made fighting the fire dangerous.
"The fire was burning within the decks and was very difficult to reach," Chief Lovick said. "We were fighting from the tops of other boats and calling for more ladder trucks."
He said flying debris and burning fiberglass irritated skin and burned the throats of many of the 80 firefighters on scene.
"But this is what training is for," he said. "These crews did an outstanding job, and we all got to go home."
He said the fire rekindled aboard the yacht Sunday, but was quickly extinguished.
Fire crews from Beaufort, Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, Otway, Harlowe, North River, Newport, Pine Knoll Shores, Stacy, Broad and Gales Creek, Harkers Island and Davis responded to the fire