Firefighters in North Kingstown, R.I., have responded to a sharp increase in boat fires in Narragansett Bay in 2016, and nearly twice as many distress calls as three years ago. The department was called to a record seven boat fires through mid-August and more than 70 distress calls, a local TV station reported.
Local firefighters say more boaters are on the water due to the improving economy. Local departments also are assisting the Coast Guard with more vessel fires than in the past. With several weeks left in the boating season, 2016 was already North Kingstown’s busiest ever.
