MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – Firefighters worked to put out a boat fire that ignited off the coast of Miami Beach.<\/p>\n
7Skyforce captured crews with Miami Beach Fire Rescue as they attacked the blaze off 55th Street and Collins Avenue, just before 11 a.m. on Thursday.<\/p>\n
A group of tourists who were visiting South Florida from Omaha, Nebraska were making their way down from Fort Lauderdale to the Keys on the 40-foot vessel, \u201cSize Matters.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were running with several other MTI boats, we were on like a poker run or get together,\u201d said boat owner Peter Fink.<\/p>\n
As the group made their way off the coast of Miami Beach, they noticed a burning smell.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmelled some smoke and, you know, slowed down, figured out it\u2019s our boat,\u201d said Fink.<\/p>\n
Cellphone video from witnesses show the vessel engulfed in flames, as well as a large cloud of thick dark smoke billowing into the air.<\/p>\n
Fink and his group of family members and friends attempted to use a fire extinguisher to control the flames, but to no avail as it continued to rage onboard.<\/p>\n
That was the moment Fink and everyone onboard decided their best course of action was to get off the burning boat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe waved down a boat actually, shot the fire extinguisher a bit up into the air so they could see the smoke from the fire extinguisher and it kind of caught their attention and they pulled over to us and they were amazing,\u201d said passenger Jason James.<\/p>\n
An Ocean Rescue boat carrying emergency crews and firefighters spotted the group in the perilous position and came to the rescue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had our heroes here that saved us all, threw us on the other boat,\u201d said passenger Irelynn James.<\/p>\n
The family quickly evacuated everyone from the burning vessel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started moving people across from boat to boat,\u201d said Jason.<\/p>\n
As they escaped to safety, the intense smoke from the fire filled the Miami skyline, becoming impossible to miss from the shore.<\/p>\n
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units, including its Air Rescue unit, arrived a short time later to assist in the firefight that broke out on the 40-foot center console about a quarter mile off shore.<\/p>\n
The fire was quickly extinguished. The charred boat was later towed to the Haulover Inlet area.<\/p>\n
Despite the fire consuming the boat, leaving it a charred husk, the family managed to save all of their luggage, which was unscathed and now ready to go for the remainder of their planned vacation trip.<\/p>\n
The family told 7News they have every intention to finish their trip after this unexpected setback. They\u2019re also breathing a huge sigh of relief that things didn\u2019t turn out worse.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuckily no one fell in, nobody \u2013 we didn\u2019t have to jump in, so it\u2019s all good,\u201d said Fink.<\/p>\n
\u201cI figured it wasn\u2019t my time to go yet. It was their trip and I decided to tag along so I could do something for my birthday in two more days; I\u2019m just trying to get to 20,\u201d said Irelynn.<\/p>\n
Officials have not specified what sparked the fire, as they continue to investigate.<\/p>\n
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