Boat goes up in flames, sinks on Halifax River in Daytona Beach Shores

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. — A boat buyer in Daytona Beach Shores is out thousands of dollars after a 40-foot sailboat caught fire on the Halifax River Tuesday morning.

Fire officials said there were two people on board at the time, but they were able to escape the blaze without injury.

Thick, black smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles as crews struggled to extinguish the flames.

"By the time I came down here, it's just, you could see the fire. You could feel the heat from about 100 yards away. Craziest thing I've seen a while," said witness Jordan Funk.

Officials said the boat was being delivered to someone who had just purchased it when two people on board heard a loud popping sound below the deck.

The flames grew quickly, but the two were able to climb aboard a good Samaritan's boat.

The engulfed boat drifted to a dock behind home on Peninsula Drive, and the fire burned to the waterline.

It took firefighters several minutes just to get their hose to the boat because they had to park their truck a few hundred yards from the water.

Firefighters said they uncoiled 1,200 feet of hose. They were able to put the fire out, but the boat eventually sank and is considered a total loss.

Firefighters were able to prevent the dock from catching fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

WFTV