Crews clean up damage after marina fire destroys houseboat, dock and shop

Firefighters say it took about three hours to put out a shop and houseboat on fire at the Texoma Marina in Gordonville Monday night, and high water made it even more difficult to get to the flames.

Charlie Cook got a call Monday night from friends near Lake Texoma that a boat and abandoned ship store at the Texoma Marina had gone up in flames, just a few slips away from where he keeps his own boat.

"They didn't know if it would get around to my boat or not," Cook said.

"Upon arrival, we found what used to be the floating ship store fully involved and a 70 foot house boat and dock on fire," said Sherwood Shores Volunteer Fire Chief Tim Bilderback.

Bilderback said crews got to the slip just after 6 p.m. He said a man lived in the houseboat, valued at around $180,000.

"He was using the grill and he saw the fire," Bilderback said about the cause.

A man passing by on a boat rescued him and his dogs while the structure burned for several hours.

"It's complicated because we're in flood stage, so access to the walkways are not available," Bilderback said. "Everything was by boat and water."

Bilderback said the fire is likely an accident but the fire marshal came out Tuesday to do an investigation.

Now, he said the cleanup process begins.

"They have a company coming to start proper containment," he said.

Firefighters say the man who lived in the houseboat does have a place to stay.