Crew jumps in Bay to avoid boat fire

A commercial fishing vessel caught fire about a mile out from the Homer Spit on Thursday afternoon due to a gas line leak, leaving its occupants to jump into the water for safety.
The two people were then rescued by a nearby boat.
Flames were coming out of the cabin of the F/V Convey as Homer Harbor Master Bryan Hawkins and others responded to the emergency call for help. The men were asked if they needed medical help, but declined.
The 32-foot fishing boat was left to burn off the fuel while floating in Kachemak Bay.
Hawkins said this made sense for safety reasons, and made sure other boaters were staying a safe distance away.
“It was about one mile northeast of the Spit and a southwest wind was blowing the smoke up the Bay. So we let it burn itself out,” Hawkins said. The boat’s aluminum siding wasn’t consumed, but the cabin was destroyed. Later, when the fire was out, Hawkins gave the boat owners permission to bring it into the harbor and it was hauled away.