Picture courtesy of Cpt. Rocky MagwoodPhoto: Rocky Magwood
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Fire officials said a man was taken to the hospital Sunday afternoon after a shrimp boat participating in the 36th Annual Blessing of the Fleet caught on fire.
The Mount Pleasant Fire Department received a report of the fire at 12:59 p.m.
Captain Matthew Tidwell said the captain of the boat, who was the only person onboard, tried to extinguish the flames. However, the captain realized he could not put out the blaze, leading him to drive towards the shore near Bennett Street, Tidwell said.
Then, the boat captain jumped into the mud to escape and was pulled out of it with a ladder truck from the Mount Pleasant Fire Department, according to Tidwell.
The boat’s captain was injured, but the severity of it is unclear. He was taken to MUSC.
The city of Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant fire departments, Charleston County EMS and the Coast Guard responded.
The Blessing of the Fleet is a Mount Pleasant event that aims to highlight the town’s shrimping and fishing industry.
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