PORT ANGELES — One person died early Sunday in a fire aboard a 30-foot fishing boat at Port Angeles Boat Haven, police and fire officials said.
The victim, who was not identified by authorities, was found deceased in the burning boat shortly after 6 a.m., fire Captain Kelly Ziegler said in a press release.
Another occupant escaped without injury.
Police had not ruled out a homicide, Deputy Chief of Police Jason Viada said.
“We haven’t ruled it out simply because when there’s a fire, it’s difficult to get right in and start processing the evidence because of heat,” Viada said in a Sunday interview.
“It slows the process down.”
Both occupants were sleeping on the boat when the fire began, Ziegler said.
Crews were called to the east Boat Haven parking lot, where the boat was stabilized by blocks and jacks, at 5:57 a.m.
Fire crews made a quick attack on the fire using water and compressed air foam. Crews then searched the vessel and found the deceased victim.
“It was pretty well inundated with flames and definitely charged with smoke,” Port Angeles fire captain Bryant Kroh said in a Sunday interview.
The Port Angeles police and fire departments, Clallam County Fire District 2, Clallam County coroner and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were investigating Sunday.
“It’s a suspicious fire,” Viada said Sunday.
“It’s very early in the investigation.”
Police Sgt. Kori Malone, who was heading the police investigation, said the survivor was questioned by authorities but was not arrested.
“We don’t have anyone in custody,” Malone said Sunday afternoon.
“We did interview a witness who was able to get off the boat.
“These type of scenes are difficult,” Malone added, “and we need to be very slow and methodical in what we’re doing, so it’s going to be a long investigation today.”
Malone and Viada would not provide the name, age or gender of either the victim or the survivor.
“We don’t want to release any identifying information because we’re still in the early stages of the investigation, and we may not have identities confirmed, so we do not want to put anything out that could be inaccurate,” Malone said.
Police would not name the person who was questioned because “we’re not sure at this point what that person’s involvement was,” Viada said.
An ATF special agent/certified fire investigator was providing technical assistance to local authorities, according to ATF Seattle.
“This is going to be a very long process,” Malone said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
