Several privately owned boats are damaged or destroyed in a fire this morning at the Carteret Waterfront Park marina.

Multiple engines responded to the fire that began around 6:30 a.m.

Three boats were destroyed, including a 40-footer that sank. Two others are partially submerged, and three more suffered damage from the heat.

Chief Mark Hruska says all hazards have been addressed from the sunken boats. The marina is new, built over the last few years since Superstorm Sandy --- with safety measures in mind. 

“Unfortunately with marina fires, they all turn out the same way. The boat that is on fire, the mooring lines will burn through and then the boats move," says Chief Mark Hruska. “Generally that happens before the dispatch is even out, we were very fortunate on this. Immediately most of these marina fires go many more boats than that.”

Hruska says as nothing at this time appears suspicious. They are reviewing security video, but he believes it was a naturally occurring fire event. 

The three boats that sank will have to be salvaged and raised. Hruska says the other three boats only suffered minor superficial damage. 

The cause of the fire or the extent of damage to the boats involved is unknown at this time.