SCOTTSBORO, Ala.: A fire that killed eight people and did more than $500,000 damage at an Alabama marina started accidentally but was worsened by the marinas limited fire safety practices, according to a federal report.
The National Transportation Safety Board, in a report released this month, said the Jan. 27 fire started near the electrical panel of a houseboat named Dixie Delight at the Jackson County Park Marina in Scottsboro. The fire spread quickly because of the abundance of combustible lawn furniture and propane cylinders for barbecue grills on the dock and boat decks. The report found the county and marinas limited fire safety practices contributing to the severity of the fire and loss of life.
The fire spread due to the neighboring vessels of similar fiberglass construction, an abundance of combustible lawn…