B&E Marina fire brings more firefighters as blaze spreads. Photo by Jack Fichter

Photo by Robert Newkirk.

Photo by Robert Newkirk.

Photo by Robert Newkirk.

Photo by Robert Newkirk.

Photo by Robert Newkirk.

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WEST WILDWOOD — When fire units arrived at 10:58 a.m. Mon., Jan. 9, they found a large volume of smoke and fire coming from the upper floor of a storage building/garage at B&E Marina, according to West Wildwood Fire Chief Bill Cripps.

The firefighting became a defensive operation from the exterior. Cripps said firefighters protected boats in dry storage at the marina, keeping in mind, they may have had fuel on board.

“We did what we could to get in there and knock the fire down,” he said.

It’s uncertain where the fire started. Arson investigators from the county Fire Marshal’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office were on scene, said Cripps.

Cripps said he was concerned about what was stored in the building such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas containers, oil or fiberglass. He said crews were on scene until 6:30 p.m.

Cripps said it was one of the largest fires West Wildwood Fire Company has handled in recent memory. There were no injuries to firefighters, which numbered 60 to 70 in total, he said.

Fire departments from the Wildwoods worked well together along with Rio Grande for rapid intervention and Rio Grande Rescue Squad for rehab, said Cripps.

Neighbors said the building had recently been renovated. Booms were lowered into the canal to prevent contaminated water from leaving the site.