What to Know
- More than 90 people were aboard the Marco Polo Cruises vessel when it caught fire
- No injuries were reported and rescuers brought passengers to Pier 11
- It's believed the fire was in the engine room
Dozens of people were rescued from a dinner boat that caught fire on the East River, officials say.
The FDNY Marine Battalion and the NYPD Harbor Unit responded to the boat fire just north of Governors Island shortly before noon on Friday.
There were 94 passengers on the boat, a Marco Polo Cruises vessel named Jewel, according to officials. No injuries have been reported.
The fire is believed to have started in the engine room of the 125-feet-long vessel. People on board told NBC 4 New York that they could smell and see smoke.
Chopper 4 video shows a heavy emergency response but no visible flames.
Firefighters put out the fire around noon as police escorted passengers to Pier 11 on a Harbor Unit boat.
Local
Zubair Khan, a tourist from Toronto, said everyone on board was calm as rescuers helped. "We felt safe," he said. "We know we were in good hands."
FDNY boats and a tugboat were later seen pulling the Jewel away from the pier.
Marco Polo Cruises operates private events, including dinners and parties, on the Jewel, which is normally docked at New York Skyports, near East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive.
A message requesting comment has been left with Marco Polo Cruises.
