Massive fire destroys up to 24 boats at Halls Crossing

A fire at the Halls Crossing marina on Lake Powell destroyed up to 24 boats on December 18. The massive fire spread through two covered docks, with an estimated loss of $5 million.

Three boats sank during the fire, which started around 11:30 p.m. Thursday evening. It was several hours before the fire was brought under control. Halls Crossing employees helped move boats away from the flames in order to stop the spread of the fire.

Law enforcement officials report that there were no reported injuries in the fire. It is assumed that no one was on the docks when the fire started.

The fire began on the F dock and moved to the adjacent D dock. The roofs on the covered docks caught fire and may have contributed to the spread of the flames.

San Juan County Sheriff’s Deputy Kelly Bradford reports that 18-20 boats were destroyed in the fire, which may have started in a boat that was not properly winterized. Several days of snowy and cold weather contributed to the wintery conditions, with approximately 6 inches of snow on the ground.

Bradford reports that the price of the boats which were destroyed range from $65,000 to $750,000.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s office, the federal ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) and the Utah State Fire Marshall are cooperating on a joint investigation of the fire.