Yacht Destroyed In Tacoma Fire -- Blaze Damages Warehouse Leased By Boat-Building Firm

TACOMA - A fire caused heavy damage last night to a warehouse leased by a yacht-building company in an industrial area managed by the Port of Tacoma. A $4 million yacht under construction was destroyed.

About one-fourth of the 10,000-square-foot warehouse, leased by Royal Eagle Yachts Inc., was destroyed. More than 60 firefighters and a dozen firetrucks were called to the three-alarm blaze. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters were called about 8:10 p.m. to the L-shaped building at 401 Alexander Ave. as flames shot through the roof. The biggest flames came from the 90-foot yacht under construction for a buyer in Las Vegas.

The fire was accelerated by flammable liquids used in boatbuilding, said Ralph Johns, Tacoma fire marshal.

There was at least a 100-gallon propane tank and an unknown amount of acetone near the yacht, Johns said.

The blaze was brought under control in about 75 minutes. Heat melted some of the building's outer layer of sheet metal.

The business is owned by Jack Vanderwaal, who is in Holland visiting relatives, said his son, Lane Vanderwaal.

"He's going to be devastated," the younger Vanderwaal said as he watched the fire. "He's been building boats all his life."

Cause of the fire is under investigation. Firefighters will examine the building, probably sometime today.

The jobs of 37 people may be in jeopardy, said Dick Moore, acting fire chief.

Firefighters said the damage could have been worse. "If the sprinkler system was not here," Johns added, "the building would have been destroyed."