BOAT HAD NO PREVIOUS ISSUES, CASINO FIRM SAYS
Passenger died later after 50 jumped in water as flames grew.
A casino comTAMPA, FLA. — pany said Monday it never had a problem with the shuttle boat that burst into flames off Florida’s Gulf Coast, leading to the death of a female passenger.
Tropical Breeze Casino spokeswoman Beth Fifer
said the company does not knowwhat caused Sunday’s huge blaze, which gutted the 12-year-old shuttle boat and forced about 50 passengers to jump into chilly waters off Port Richey.
“We are deeply saddened for the loss of our passenger, the 14 injured and anyone else who was affected by this tragedy,” Fifer said.
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point spokesman Kurt Conover said Monday that the passenger arrived at the hospital’s emergency room at 10 p.m. Sunday and died shortly afterward. He said she had apparently gone home after the fire but became ill.
Pasco County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kevin Doll said the victim was 42. Her name has not been released and a cause of death has not been determined. Conover
said eight other passengers were treated at the hospital and released.
Authorities originally said no injuries were life-threatening.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Michael De Nyse said investigators will deter- mine the cause of the fire and examine the history of the boat and Tropical Breeze Casino.
Helicopter video taken by WTSP-TV early Monday shows the boat was burned down to its hull, with only an American flag on its bow uncharred.
The shuttle boat regularly carried people to and from the Tropical Breeze’s off- shore casino, about a 45-min- ute ride into international waters.
There, passengers would play games such as blackjack, which is illegal at non-Indian casinos in Florida, and roulette, which is illegal state- wide.
The shuttle boat caught fire about 4 p.m. Sunday, quickly engulfing the boat close to shore near residential neighborhoods. Officials said the boat was headed out to the casino ship at the time.
Port Richey Police Chief Gerard DeCanio said the shuttle boat experienced engine problems after leav- ing the dock at Port Richey, a suburban community about 35 miles northwest of Tampa. But as the vessel turned back, flames kicked up and people began jumping overboard into shallow water, according to witness accounts.
Larry Santangelo, 57, said he had just driven into his neighborhood when he saw smoke and fire and thought a house — possibly his own — was ablaze. But then he realized it was the boat just about 100 yards offshore.
He told the Tampa Bay Times that he then saw people wandering about confused, wet and cold, after they reached land. One woman collapsed upon reaching shore and vomited, he said.
Santangelo said he took about 30 of the passengers into his garage to warm up and recover.
“It was so windy and they were soaking wet,” Santangelo said. He worried that some might suffer from hypothermia.