NEW ROCHELLE, NY (February 23, 2025) — A fierce boat fire erupted at the Imperial Yacht Club in New Rochelle early Saturday, destroying seven vessels and prompting a dramatic response from firefighters who battled to contain the blaze from multiple fronts. The fire, reported at 12:45 a.m. on Feb. 22, 2025, sent heavy smoke billowing across Davenport Neck, with emergency crews racing to save dozens of nearby boats from the spreading inferno.
New Rochelle Fire Department units were dispatched to 583 Davenport Ave. after multiple 911 calls flooded in. En route, firefighters spotted thick smoke rising from the waterfront. Upon arrival, they shifted their attack to Town Dock Road off Pelham Road for better access, quickly launching suppression efforts.
As operations began, firefighters received word of a mother and her school-aged child who had been on one of the burning boats. The pair, found in a car nearby, required medical attention. Firefighters provided initial care and summoned an ambulance, which transported them to Jacobi Hospital. Their condition remains unknown.
The blaze grew chaotic as burning boats broke free and drifted across Davenport Neck, forcing additional fire units to deploy to the Imperial Yacht Club itself. With some boats moored just 2 to 3 feet apart, crews worked tirelessly to shield neighboring vessels from radiant heat that threatened to ignite a chain reaction. Fire boats were called in, with the New Rochelle Harbormaster coordinating the aquatic response.
Support came from the Port Washington Marine Unit, which played a key role in the effort, and the New Rochelle Police Harbor Unit1. The FDNY Marine Unit also responded but arrived after the flames were extinguished.
After a grueling two-hour fight, the New Rochelle Fire Department brought the fire under control, saving dozens of boats from destruction. “Our teams stood their ground and stopped this from becoming a total disaster,” said Fire Commissioner Andrew J. Sandor, who also serves as the city’s chief of department.
Seven boats were reduced to charred wrecks. The New Rochelle Harbormaster is now collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to manage fuel spills and other contaminants in the water, as well as to oversee salvage efforts. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The dramatic scene unfolded just a day shy of Feb. 23, 2025, leaving the tight-knit boating community reeling as authorities work to piece together what sparked the midnight blaze.