Areas of expertise include fire origin & cause and forensics.

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Scenario

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A seventy (70) foot luxury yacht (Vessel 1) was berthed at a marina in south Florida.  It was tied to a 78-foot yacht (Vessel 2) and undergoing repairs and refurbishing when a large fire occurred early in the morning.  The marina was closed and no persons were found to be on board any of the vessels at the time of the incident.  The vessels smoldered for nearly 24 hours and sank into the water, were re-floated, and moved to dry land.

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ProNet Group was retained by the independent adjusting firm and attorneys representing one of the contractors that was working on Vessel 1 in which the fire was purported to have begun to determine the origin and cause of the fire.  Both yachts were rendered to be total losses.  Additionally, fire damage also occurred to four other boats docked nearby, the dock and its associated equipment.

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Forensic Fire O&C Investigation

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Nearly forty (40) potentially liable and other parties were involved in this complex large loss investigation, including other yacht owners, the marina, various contractors involved in the repairs and refurbishment of the vessels, yacht builders and designers, equipment suppliers, and product manufacturers, to name a few.

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During multiple inspections over a three week period, ProNet Group along with other experts retained by interested parties sifted through the fire debris.  Additionally, a section of the marina was cordoned off to secure the scene and allow the inspections to continue uninterrupted.

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After the final inspection in the field, it was determined that Vessel 1 was the area of origin of the fire.  Both yachts were then encapsulated in shrink wrap to preserve the debris from tampering and moved to a nearby facility for further investigation.

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Outcome

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It was determined that the fire originated in the stateroom of Vessel 1 in which our client was working in the days preceding the fire.  The cause of the fire was classified as accidental, and it was further determined that the fire was caused by another party and not the work product of our client.