http://keysnews.com/318372284411148.bsp.htm

Here you go folks. You may need to register to read it.
All they ask for is your zip code age and gender.

Here it is for those of you who don't need to see
it on the link above to believe me.

Family loses home in night boat fire
BY STEVE GIBBS

Citizen Staff


TAVERNIER - A family of seven lost their home to fire Thursday evening when their 97-foot boat burned to the waterline and sank near
the Intercoastal Waterway about a quarter mile off Mangrove Marina.

Three of Pete and Claire Schinella's teenage children were aboard the homemade three-masted cargo schooner when the fire broke out
in the boat's bow. They were able to escape without injury in the boat's dinghy. The rest of the family was on land when the fire
started, including Claire, who was at work. Two older children share an apartment in Homestead.

The cause of the fire may never be determined.

According to the report, the children were in the aft end of the boat playing video games when the lights began to flicker and they
smelled smoke. The children got in the dinghy and motored safely ashore as flames engulfed their home.

Tom Cullen, assistant chief of the Tavernier Fire Department, said he is "heartbroken" for the family, who lost their possessions
and their $250,000 boat. Pete Schinella said the boat he built is uninsured.

"Claire and I were recently divorced and I live at Manatee Bay Marina," Pete Schinella said. "We were going to sell the boat, and
Claire was going to use that money to put a down payment on a house. She loves it here and wants to stay. I don't know what we'll do
now."

Cullen was at the Key Largo Holiday Inn preparing for a firefighters' Christmas party on Thursday when he was alerted to the fire at
7:09 p.m. Hearing that the boat was anchored out, he called for the Key Largo Volunteer Fire Department's fire boat. Cullen also
alerted the U.S. Coast Guard in Islamorada and Florida Fish and Wildlife.

"When I reached the docks at Mangrove Marina, several firefighting units were on hand and standing by. It was clear that the
family's boat was three-quarters involved," Cullen said.

"I found out within a minute [of arriving] that there was no one on the boat, but the father arrived, and, against our voiced
orders, he left with someone in a skiff and motored out to his boat," Cullen explained. "I could visualize us trying to get him off
the boat or recovering his body, neither of which appealed to me."

Schinella said his friend was at the dock when he arrived and saw his boat in flames.

"When we got to the boat I climbed on board with a flashlight," he said. "I ran into my wife's room and closed the doors between the
room and the fire. I grabbed pictures off the walls, photo albums, my son's guitar and one of our two cats, Lucky.

"I threw Lucky in my friend's boat, but he climbed back out and I suspect he was trapped with the other cat, although they may have
been able to swim to the mangroves.

"The [FWC] officer was hovering around the boat yelling for me to get off. He said he'd arrest me if I didn't. In the heat of the
moment I yelled back that it was my boat, but I had all that I could carry and left," Schinella said. "Later he explained that he
was just doing his job. I understood and explained that I was doing what I had to do. We hugged one another after that."

Cullen said rescue crews were ready to launch the fire boat when they discovered that the pump that would provide water to quell the
fire was not operational. He said the Coast Guard and FWC were relatively slow to respond.

His frustration with the situation - not being able to access the boat - was evident.

"The problem was when Pete [Schinella] got on the boat," Cullen said. "We had determined that we could not save the boat. Capt. Geo
Toth made the call to allow the boat to burn to the waterline. That would leave less to salvage later.

"We can't believe that [the Keys] are a boating mecca and we have no firefighting ability on the water," he said. "The county, up
until now, has not been willing to fund a boat."

Monroe County Fire Chief Clark Martin agreed with Cullen that there is a need for more marine firefighting capability.

"Since I've been here I've been amazed that [we have such limited] firefighting ability on the water," Martin said. "We'll have to
address this in the upcoming fiscal year. The marine capacity will be near the top of the list."

The Schinella's oldest son, Simon, said the Tres Bonne Nouvelle - which means "very good news" - was built by their father over a
period of five years and was used as part of the family ministry as a cargo ship to deliver relief supplies to Haiti. It was
launched in 1995.

He said the family has not made a voyage to Haiti in a couple of years.

The children who lived aboard with their parents are John, 20; Maria, 19; Michael, 16; Benjamin, 13 and Rebecca, 10. John is a
freshman at Coral Shores High School and the two youngest children were being home schooled.

Bernie Childs, owner of the Mangrove Marina - a center for several boating families who anchor offshore from the marina - said
neighbors are lining up to help the family.

To help out, call Claire Schinella at (786) 261-4295 or call the American Red Cross at (305) 852-9612.

That's all pretty sad. Even if they did keep you up with loud music at
night. Aren't you a bit distressed that your local facilities are that
poor? I think you should take this on as a personal cause. You should get
out there and campaign for better firefighting services and for repair of
that pump. I think I'd be looking for a new mooring, too, one where if my
tin can heater decided to flame up, there'd be some kind of salvage left.

i hope your community is generous, especially at this time of year, and
helps out those kids.
"Capt. Neal®" wrote in message
...
http://keysnews.com/318372284411148.bsp.htm

Here you go folks. You may need to register to read it.
All they ask for is your zip code age and gender.

Here it is for those of you who don't need to see
it on the link above to believe me.

Family loses home in night boat fire
BY STEVE GIBBS

Citizen Staff


TAVERNIER - A family of seven lost their home to fire Thursday evening
when their 97-foot boat burned to the waterline and sank near
the Intercoastal Waterway about a quarter mile off Mangrove Marina.

Three of Pete and Claire Schinella's teenage children were aboard the
homemade three-masted cargo schooner when the fire broke out
in the boat's bow. They were able to escape without injury in the boat's
dinghy. The rest of the family was on land when the fire
started, including Claire, who was at work. Two older children share an
apartment in Homestead.

The cause of the fire may never be determined.

According to the report, the children were in the aft end of the boat
playing video games when the lights began to flicker and they
smelled smoke. The children got in the dinghy and motored safely ashore as
flames engulfed their home.

Tom Cullen, assistant chief of the Tavernier Fire Department, said he is
"heartbroken" for the family, who lost their possessions
and their $250,000 boat. Pete Schinella said the boat he built is
uninsured.

"Claire and I were recently divorced and I live at Manatee Bay Marina,"
Pete Schinella said. "We were going to sell the boat, and
Claire was going to use that money to put a down payment on a house. She
loves it here and wants to stay. I don't know what we'll do
now."

Cullen was at the Key Largo Holiday Inn preparing for a firefighters'
Christmas party on Thursday when he was alerted to the fire at
7:09 p.m. Hearing that the boat was anchored out, he called for the Key
Largo Volunteer Fire Department's fire boat. Cullen also
alerted the U.S. Coast Guard in Islamorada and Florida Fish and Wildlife.

"When I reached the docks at Mangrove Marina, several firefighting units
were on hand and standing by. It was clear that the
family's boat was three-quarters involved," Cullen said.

"I found out within a minute [of arriving] that there was no one on the
boat, but the father arrived, and, against our voiced
orders, he left with someone in a skiff and motored out to his boat,"
Cullen explained. "I could visualize us trying to get him off
the boat or recovering his body, neither of which appealed to me."

Schinella said his friend was at the dock when he arrived and saw his boat
in flames.

"When we got to the boat I climbed on board with a flashlight," he said.
"I ran into my wife's room and closed the doors between the
room and the fire. I grabbed pictures off the walls, photo albums, my
son's guitar and one of our two cats, Lucky.

"I threw Lucky in my friend's boat, but he climbed back out and I suspect
he was trapped with the other cat, although they may have
been able to swim to the mangroves.

"The [FWC] officer was hovering around the boat yelling for me to get off.
He said he'd arrest me if I didn't. In the heat of the
moment I yelled back that it was my boat, but I had all that I could carry
and left," Schinella said. "Later he explained that he
was just doing his job. I understood and explained that I was doing what I
had to do. We hugged one another after that."

Cullen said rescue crews were ready to launch the fire boat when they
discovered that the pump that would provide water to quell the
fire was not operational. He said the Coast Guard and FWC were relatively
slow to respond.

His frustration with the situation - not being able to access the boat -
was evident.

"The problem was when Pete [Schinella] got on the boat," Cullen said. "We
had determined that we could not save the boat. Capt. Geo
Toth made the call to allow the boat to burn to the waterline. That would
leave less to salvage later.

"We can't believe that [the Keys] are a boating mecca and we have no
firefighting ability on the water," he said. "The county, up
until now, has not been willing to fund a boat."

Monroe County Fire Chief Clark Martin agreed with Cullen that there is a
need for more marine firefighting capability.

"Since I've been here I've been amazed that [we have such limited]
firefighting ability on the water," Martin said. "We'll have to
address this in the upcoming fiscal year. The marine capacity will be near
the top of the list."

The Schinella's oldest son, Simon, said the Tres Bonne Nouvelle - which
means "very good news" - was built by their father over a
period of five years and was used as part of the family ministry as a
cargo ship to deliver relief supplies to Haiti. It was
launched in 1995.

He said the family has not made a voyage to Haiti in a couple of years.

The children who lived aboard with their parents are John, 20; Maria, 19;
Michael, 16; Benjamin, 13 and Rebecca, 10. John is a
freshman at Coral Shores High School and the two youngest children were
being home schooled.

Bernie Childs, owner of the Mangrove Marina - a center for several boating
families who anchor offshore from the marina - said
neighbors are lining up to help the family.

To help out, call Claire Schinella at (786) 261-4295 or call the American
Red Cross at (305) 852-9612.

The trouble with advocating for a working fire boat is they would
probably want to tax us for it. I would have no use for it because
my boat is small and a couple of fire extinguishers can put out any
fires that might get started.

I watched the fire department put out a boat fire up in St. Petersburg
one time. They put the fire out but they sank the boat doing it. Sort of
half a dozen of one six of the other . . .

My 'tin can heater' is safe because it was engineered and built by
someone with understanding and skill.

CN

"katysails" wrote in message ...
That's all pretty sad. Even if they did keep you up with loud music at
night. Aren't you a bit distressed that your local facilities are that
poor? I think you should take this on as a personal cause. You should get
out there and campaign for better firefighting services and for repair of
that pump. I think I'd be looking for a new mooring, too, one where if my
tin can heater decided to flame up, there'd be some kind of salvage left.

i hope your community is generous, especially at this time of year, and
helps out those kids.
"Capt. Neal®" wrote in message
...
http://keysnews.com/318372284411148.bsp.htm

Here you go folks. You may need to register to read it.
All they ask for is your zip code age and gender.

Here it is for those of you who don't need to see
it on the link above to believe me.

Family loses home in night boat fire
BY STEVE GIBBS

Citizen Staff


TAVERNIER - A family of seven lost their home to fire Thursday evening
when their 97-foot boat burned to the waterline and sank near
the Intercoastal Waterway about a quarter mile off Mangrove Marina.

Three of Pete and Claire Schinella's teenage children were aboard the
homemade three-masted cargo schooner when the fire broke out
in the boat's bow. They were able to escape without injury in the boat's
dinghy. The rest of the family was on land when the fire
started, including Claire, who was at work. Two older children share an
apartment in Homestead.

The cause of the fire may never be determined.

According to the report, the children were in the aft end of the boat
playing video games when the lights began to flicker and they
smelled smoke. The children got in the dinghy and motored safely ashore as
flames engulfed their home.

Tom Cullen, assistant chief of the Tavernier Fire Department, said he is
"heartbroken" for the family, who lost their possessions
and their $250,000 boat. Pete Schinella said the boat he built is
uninsured.

"Claire and I were recently divorced and I live at Manatee Bay Marina,"
Pete Schinella said. "We were going to sell the boat, and
Claire was going to use that money to put a down payment on a house. She
loves it here and wants to stay. I don't know what we'll do
now."

Cullen was at the Key Largo Holiday Inn preparing for a firefighters'
Christmas party on Thursday when he was alerted to the fire at
7:09 p.m. Hearing that the boat was anchored out, he called for the Key
Largo Volunteer Fire Department's fire boat. Cullen also
alerted the U.S. Coast Guard in Islamorada and Florida Fish and Wildlife.

"When I reached the docks at Mangrove Marina, several firefighting units
were on hand and standing by. It was clear that the
family's boat was three-quarters involved," Cullen said.

"I found out within a minute [of arriving] that there was no one on the
boat, but the father arrived, and, against our voiced
orders, he left with someone in a skiff and motored out to his boat,"
Cullen explained. "I could visualize us trying to get him off
the boat or recovering his body, neither of which appealed to me."

Schinella said his friend was at the dock when he arrived and saw his boat
in flames.

"When we got to the boat I climbed on board with a flashlight," he said.
"I ran into my wife's room and closed the doors between the
room and the fire. I grabbed pictures off the walls, photo albums, my
son's guitar and one of our two cats, Lucky.

"I threw Lucky in my friend's boat, but he climbed back out and I suspect
he was trapped with the other cat, although they may have
been able to swim to the mangroves.

"The [FWC] officer was hovering around the boat yelling for me to get off.
He said he'd arrest me if I didn't. In the heat of the
moment I yelled back that it was my boat, but I had all that I could carry
and left," Schinella said. "Later he explained that he
was just doing his job. I understood and explained that I was doing what I
had to do. We hugged one another after that."

Cullen said rescue crews were ready to launch the fire boat when they
discovered that the pump that would provide water to quell the
fire was not operational. He said the Coast Guard and FWC were relatively
slow to respond.

His frustration with the situation - not being able to access the boat -
was evident.

"The problem was when Pete [Schinella] got on the boat," Cullen said. "We
had determined that we could not save the boat. Capt. Geo
Toth made the call to allow the boat to burn to the waterline. That would
leave less to salvage later.

"We can't believe that [the Keys] are a boating mecca and we have no
firefighting ability on the water," he said. "The county, up
until now, has not been willing to fund a boat."

Monroe County Fire Chief Clark Martin agreed with Cullen that there is a
need for more marine firefighting capability.

"Since I've been here I've been amazed that [we have such limited]
firefighting ability on the water," Martin said. "We'll have to
address this in the upcoming fiscal year. The marine capacity will be near
the top of the list."

The Schinella's oldest son, Simon, said the Tres Bonne Nouvelle - which
means "very good news" - was built by their father over a
period of five years and was used as part of the family ministry as a
cargo ship to deliver relief supplies to Haiti. It was
launched in 1995.

He said the family has not made a voyage to Haiti in a couple of years.

The children who lived aboard with their parents are John, 20; Maria, 19;
Michael, 16; Benjamin, 13 and Rebecca, 10. John is a
freshman at Coral Shores High School and the two youngest children were
being home schooled.

Bernie Childs, owner of the Mangrove Marina - a center for several boating
families who anchor offshore from the marina - said
neighbors are lining up to help the family.

To help out, call Claire Schinella at (786) 261-4295 or call the American
Red Cross at (305) 852-9612.

"Capt. Neal®" wrote

My 'tin can heater' is safe because it was engineered and built by
someone with understanding and skill.


I thought *you* made it.

Scotty

Wow... sounds like a bad time for all involved.
What was the boat made of?

Joe

Mostly it was plywood and epoxy.

CN


"Joe" wrote in message oups.com...
Wow... sounds like a bad time for all involved.
What was the boat made of?

Joe