Early morning blaze chars six boats, causes over $500,000 in damages

An early morning fire broke out at Marblehead's Ryan Marine, charring at least six boats and multiple trailers in the process, according to Jennifer Mieth, the Public Information Officer for the Department of Fire Services.

Related: Norwell boats charred as fire spreads in boatyard

Just after midnight on Friday morning, the Marblehead Fire Department was alerted to a fire at 16 Lincoln Ave in the northern part of the town. There, the department - which sent three trucks to the scene - encountered and contained a blaze that began on a 22-foot Eastern boat, according to a statement on the department's official Facebook page.

Marblehead Fire was alerted to the incident by a neighbor's phone call at 12:12 a.m.

Related: Water heaters recalled due to fire hazard

The Fire Marshal's office has sent in an investigator to assist Marblehead Fire in determining the cause of the blaze. While the cause has not been established yet, investigators are apparently focusing on an accidental cause in one of the boats that then spread to the others, according to Meith. The investigation is still ongoing.

Marblehead Fire estimates that the damages created by the flames are between $500,000 to $750,000.

MORE: Coast Guard responds after boat catches fire, sinks in Merrimack River

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