Smoke followed by loud explosion at Cedar Point

SANDUSKY — No injuries were reported after a boat apparently caught fire in the Cedar Point Marina Monday afternoon.Witness said they heard an "explosion" around 4:15 p.m. "After about five minutes of smoke there was a massive explosion," one witness told the Register. "After that the smoke got bigger.""It was loud," another witness said.Three boats tied to a dock in the marina apparently caught fire, which was reportedly caused by a gas tank explosion in one of the boats, according to Lt. Benjamin Chamberlain, a Coast Guard spokesman.Chamberlain added the report of the gas tank exploding is only an initial assessment, and it has not yet been confirmed by the Sandusky Fire Department. He said members of the Marblehead Coast Guard were conducting a training exercise in the area and actually witnessed the explosion, which allowed them to quickly respond to the scene. Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark said the fire did not occur on park property and Cedar Point's operations are not affected."At approximately 4:15 p.m., the Cedar Point and Sandusky fire departments responded to a report of a boat on fire in the Cedar Point Marina. The crews are actively managing the isolated situation and there are no injuries reported."It was not immediately clear what types of boats were affected by the blaze. *Update 5:08 p.m.Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark provided the following response to the Register:"At approximately 4:15 p.m., the Cedar Point and Sandusky fire departments responded to a report of a boat on fire in the Cedar Point Marina. The crews are actively managing the isolated situation and there are no injuries reported. The incident did not occur on park property, and Cedar Point's operations are not affected."[toutembed=88ojmg]*Update 4:52 p.m.Watch a video of the smoke billowing out of the park on the Register's Facebook. *Check Update 4:40 p.m.One witness said she saw smoke billowing before hearing a loud noise."After about five minutes of smoke there was a massive explosion," she said. "After that the smoke got bigger."The smoke could be seen billowing from the Sailing Basin at Battery Park across Sandusky Bay. People who saw it said they also heard an explosion."It was loud," one woman told the Register. 4:30 p.m. todaySmoke could be seen billowing upward from Cedar Point across the Sandusky Bay on Aug. 14, 2017. *Fire engulfs boats at Cedar PointSANDUSKY — Sandusky firefighters are responding to a fire at Cedar Point. Black smoke can be seen billowing from the park across the Sandusky Bay. Check back here for updates. Smoke billows out of a fire near the marina at Cedar Point on Monday, August 14, 2017. A couple of kids watch as the smoke begins to fade following a fire near Cedar Point on Monday, August 14, 2017.