JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In less than 24 hours, nearly 100 people donated to help one of the families tied to Tuesday's two sunken shrimping boats.
The boats caught fire at around 4 a.m. Tuesday, eventually sinking to the bottom of the St. Johns River. The cause of fire is still under investigation.
The Coast Guard continued monitoring environmental cleanup efforts Wednesday. Crews spent much of the morning removing diesel fuel that was on board and around the sunken Iris Marie and Triton.
The cost to remove the boats will cost the families who’ve lost their business. They could also face daily environmental protection fines up to $47,000, according to family members of the owners. So far over, $11,000 have been raised on a GoFundMe page. The page, set up by family members of the Triton boat, said the commercial boat was uninsurable due to new underwriting.
How the fire started is still a mystery. An official cause is still under investigation. A family member told First Coast News two men were aboard the Iris Marie. That family member said the generator on board had been having issues working recently. The men started the generator and another started a pot of the coffee. The family member said the two fell asleep and woke up to smoke.
Smoke and fire that eventually spread to the nearby Triton. Fortunately, the two men were able to get out without injuries.
Locals in the community say both boats were recently purchased.
If you'd like to help out, you can do so by clicking here.