Fireworks barge catches fire in Lake Tahoe

Two hours after the Lights on the Lake fireworks show ended on July 4, one of three barges used in the show caught on fire.

The fireworks crews on board attempted to put out the fire with fire extinguishers but were unable to suppress the flames. Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) monitors the show each year and weren't far away. At 12:27 a.m. July 5, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District responded with their new fire boat, Marine 24, and doused the fire within six minutes.

There were no injuries.

TDFPD deployed a boom around the barge to contain any possible contamination. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Nevada Department of Wildlife have been notified. Fire Marshal, Eric Guevin, reports that agency officials will conduct an investigation after morning light.

Initally they called in for help from South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR), not knowing that the fire would be doused so quickly. SLTFR who were on the way when they were called off.

The Lights on the Lake fireworks display is sponsored by the Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority and has been lauded as one of the top Independence Day displays in the country. They launch them from the three barges anchored near Stateline, Nevada, and have done so for years.