35-Foot Boat Torched Behind Key Largo Home, Firefighters Contain Blaze

Monroe County Sheriff's deputies and Key Largo Fire Department crews raced to the 200 block of Pimlico Lane in Key Largo around 4:10 p.m. Thursday, where they found a 35-foot vessel fully engulfed in flames behind a private residence.[2][3] The boat, stored in the backyard, posed an immediate threat to the nearby home, but firefighters quickly contained the blaze, sparing the structure from damage.[2] This incident echoes a similar scare earlier in the week in the Middle Keys, where Marathon firefighters battled a 20-foot Sea Pro boat fire in the driveway of a home on the 200 block of Camino Road just before 2 a.m. Wednesday.[1][4] Responders there discovered damaged electrical wires while cutting power to the unoccupied house, leaving unclear if the wiring ignited the fire or was harmed by the heat.[1] Deputies ruled out foul play in that case, with the investigation ongoing.[1] The Keys' maritime lifestyle amplifies such hazards, as boats are commonplace in residential areas from Key Largo to Marathon. Recent fires, including a 2020 blaze on Cudjoe Key that damaged both a boat and home in the 600 block of Sawyer Drive, highlight the rapid escalation risks in these tight-knit island communities.[6] Authorities continue to monitor for patterns, urging owners to inspect fuel lines and electrical systems regularly.