A plume of black smoke against the bright Florida sky signaled a desperate situation unfolding just off the coast of Hallandale Beach. Judson Grosvenor, a passing boater, was the first to witness the terrifying scene: a 35-foot vessel completely consumed by flames.
Without hesitation, Grosvenor sprang into action. He immediately contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, his voice urgent as he relayed the unfolding emergency, then steered his own boat directly toward the inferno. The sight that greeted him was harrowing – a boat entirely engulfed, the heat radiating even at a distance.
He quickly located one boater struggling in the water, pulling the shaken individual aboard his vessel. The rescued man, amidst the chaos, reported a second person was nearby, clinging to a life jacket and drifting north of the burning wreckage.
As first responders arrived, Grosvenor didn’t wait for instructions. He plunged into the water, swimming toward the reported location, determined to guide the Coast Guard to the second boater. The man he found, remarkably, maintained an astonishing composure despite the ordeal.
Both boaters were safely brought to shore, escaping with their lives and without sustaining any injuries. Grosvenor humbly acknowledged the inherent camaraderie among those who navigate the sea, stating that help would have arrived regardless.
Fire rescue units from Hollywood, Broward Sheriff’s Office, and Miami-Dade responded to extinguish the blaze and secure the area. An investigation is now underway, seeking to uncover the cause of the sudden and dramatic fire.
