A $20 Million Pair of Yachts

It's almost ironic how hazardous fire can be aboard a boat given their proximity to water. Fire, however, is the last thing you want to see at sea, as any serious boater will tell you. Ask the owner of the two $20 million boats that caught fire in 2019.

The fire battalion chief referred to the blaze as the largest fire loss in Ft. Lauderdale history, and it's understandable why. The first started aboard one of the two boats before spreading to the other when they were both docked for maintenance. The first one was a huge 161 foot long ship, while the second one was only 106 feet long. Authorities believe it began in the larger vessel, which is worth in the neighborhood of $16 million on its own, and then spread to the other, which had the unfortunate circumstance of being docked in the same location.

Although it was not the case, there was speculation that the fire may have been the result of insurance fraud or intentional arson. Video surveillance demonstrated that the fire was simply an accident made worse by strong winds.