A large fire engulfed at least eight vessels —including four luxury yachts— at a marina in Sunny Isles Beach, in the northeastern part of Miami-Dade County, during the early hours of Thursday, June 6.
The flames, visible from various points in the city, triggered a significant mobilization of emergency teams, who responded to the incident with both maritime and terrestrial firefighting units.
The incident began around 5:15 a.m., near Collins Avenue and NE 163rd Street. More than 25 units from the Miami-Dade Fire Department (MDFR) responded to the scene, supported by the Miami city fire department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
According to MDFR, the flames initially engulfed a yacht moored next to a dock near residential units. The fire quickly spread to neighboring vessels, affecting a total of four yachts, two boats, and two jet skis. No structural damage to nearby buildings or injuries to individuals were reported.
The specialized units Fireboat 21 and Fireboat 73 participated in firefighting efforts from the water, deploying hose lines and applying water and foam to control the fire and prevent its spread.
The area was evacuated as a precaution while operations were ongoing. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, although authorities do not rule out an electrical failure as a possible origin.
This new incident has raised concerns among residents and boaters, amid comments on social media speculating about possible insurance fraud, given the recurrence of similar incidents in marinas in South Florida.
A growing pattern of fires on luxury boats in Miami
The fire that occurred in Sunny Isles Beach is not an isolated incident. In recent years, there has been a troubling increase in incidents affecting luxury vessels at marinas and yacht clubs in South Florida, particularly in the city of Miami.
So far in 2025, there have been at least two significant incidents. In March, three yachts were engulfed in flames while docked in the Miami River, an event that also prompted a significant mobilization of firefighters and resulted in substantial material losses.
In January, a fire on another yacht forced the evacuation of Booby Trap, one of the city's most well-known nightclubs, due to the risk of fire spreading.
During 2024, several similar incidents were reported. In October, a vessel caught fire in a marina in Miami under circumstances that remain unclear.
In April, a state-of-the-art yacht was completely destroyed in a shipyard, just before being delivered to its owner, raising suspicions about potential security failures during the construction or maintenance work.
In 2023, several fires occurred on boats, including one in February at a marina in the county and another in October that affected a yacht at the dock, both incidents with no casualties but significant material damage.
These repeated incidents have raised growing concern among authorities, residents, and boat owners, many of whom have begun to question the effectiveness of fire prevention systems, compliance with safety regulations, and, in some cases, have expressed suspicions about potential insurance fraud.
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