https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zpwBUepzA4

A boat being launched at a Hudson landing last Friday night burst into flames. It then burned near shore for approximately 40 minutes, until Stillwater firefighters arrived in a pumper boat to extinguish the flames.

No one was injured in the incident — the owner pushed it away from shore when it caught fire.

Hudson mayor Rich O’Connor was on the river on his own boat when the incident occurred. He told KARE 11 News that the city would like to purchase its own pumper:

Hudson firefighters arrived within minutes, but all they could do was sit and wait.

“We do not have our own pumper boat that can actually pump water on to put out a fire here in Hudson,” O’Connor says.

The city typically relies on Stillwater firefighters to help them out in situations like this, but O’Connor says it took them nearly 40 minutes to get there.

“Through no fault of their own. Its quite a ways to get down the river here,” O’Connor explains. “We really should have a pumper boat of our own.”

He and the city’s fire chief have been pushing to buy a pumper boat for about a year now.

A fully-equipped pumper boat would cost the city about $80,000, O’Connor says.

A small fuel leak from the fire was quickly contained.

Hudson Fire Company #1 was assisted by Stillwater Fire Department, St. Croix Marina Condominiums, city of Hudson, St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. Croix EMS & Rescue, and the Hudson Police Department.