A woman was sent to hospital and her dog is missing after a boat caught fire near the Pitt River Bridge Thursday morning.
Port Coquitlam Fire and Emergency Services Chief Nick Delmonico told The Tri-City News that crews were battling the blaze from land while a tug boat was attacking the flames with water from the river.
"We essentially sunk the boat with water," he said, adding that Environment Canada would be on scene to see if they can "recover any materials or fluid that may be leaking out of the boat."
Delmonico said the fiberglass boat was 35 to 40 feet long and was fully involved by the time crews arrived shortly after 8 a.m. He added that smoke could be seen from Fire Hall 1.
The woman who was injured had managed to get away from the scene before firefighters arrived and was treated by paramedics at a nearby home on Fremont Street. However, her pet has yet to be found.
"We had a report that her dog was on board," Delmonico said. "We haven't located it. It has either taken off or it is still on the boat. We haven't been able to confirm it."
Delmonico added that firefighters had difficulty accessing the dock where the boat was moored because of debris on the grounds around the site. He said it was unclear whether the woman was living on the boat at the time of the incident.
The city of Port Coquitlam said the 1700-block of Fremont Street was down to one land and drivers should avoid the area.
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