3 people evacuated from shrimp boat fire on St. Marys Sound

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — Three people were evacuated from an 85-foot shrimp boat that was on fire at the entrance of the St. Marys Sound on Wednesday night.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Lehmann said the fire happened around 8 p.m. The three people were evacuated onto a life raft and then picked up by a Good Samaritan boater.

Shrimp boat caught fire. (ANjax Viewer Benji M.)

The Coast Guard said all people were off the boat by the time they arrived. No one was injured.

Friends told Action News Jax that the boat is owned by Chris Johnson, who is a retired policeman. He routinely docks at the Safe Harbor Restaurant to unload shrimp, but he keeps the MC Johnson at his home in New Berlin.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and Nassau Fire Rescue also responded.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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