Local News in Brief : Huntington Beach : 9 People Rescued From Boat After Fire Scare

Nine people were rescued from a 55-foot powerboat off Huntington Beach on Sunday after a broken hydraulic line spilled fluid onto a hot turbocharger, creating a cloud of smoke.

The owner of the boat, Dale Anderson, said no fire broke out and no one was injured.

“When they saw all the smoke, they got excited and called the Harbor Patrol,” said Anderson, who was not aboard. His partner had taken friends out on the boat, he said. A Halon fire-extinguishing system dissipated the smoke before authorities arrived, he said.

Sgt. Jay Mendez of the Sheriff’s Department said the incident occurred about 11:45 a.m. about a mile from the Santa Ana River jetty, which separates Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. Four adults and five children were aboard.

People aboard the sportfishing vessel, The Spoiler, reported a fire when they radioed for help, he said. The Harbor Patrol sent boats from Newport Beach and Huntington Harbour, and Huntington State Beach dispatched a lifeguard boat, Mendez said.

Mendez said he was told that there was a fire but that it was nearly extinguished when the rescue vessels arrived. The Harbor Patrol fire boat extinguished the “hot spots,” he said.

The extent of damage to the $450,000 vessel was not known, Mendez said.