'Worrying about an explosion': Black smoke spreads for kilometers after three boats catch fire in Port Stanley, Ont.

Thick, billowing black smoke could be seen for dozens of kilometres after three boats caught fire at a Port Stanley, Ont. marina Saturday afternoon.

Thick, billowing black smoke could be seen for dozens of kilometres after three boats caught fire at a Port Stanley, Ont. marina Saturday afternoon.

Just before 1 p.m. a boat docked at the Kanagio Yacht Club caught fire, and with the wind blowing from the south, it quickly spread to the two vessels next to it.

“From what we understand, it may have been an electrical fire in the first boat that started it,” said Cpt. Todd Davies of Central Elgin Fire Rescue (CEFR).

Videos of the spectacular fire quickly spread on social media, and the owners of the boats started to head to the village when they were notified of what happened to their property.

“It's insured, and we're thinking about our next project boat, because I don't think this is going to buff out very well,” said Hubert Van Niekerk, trying to make light of the fact his boat is destroyed.

“This was a lot of blood, sweat, tears,” he added, looking at what is left of his boat.

He added the boat meant a lot to him, “It was a cheap enough boat to buy, but then spent the last four years fixing it up and put a whole new top on it and did all my own sewing. The biggest thing lost here is the sewing machine I purchased, which is a really good machine.”