Lake Powell houseboat fire was accidental, investigators say

PAGE, Ariz. (AP) — Investigators have ruled a fire that damaged several houseboats on Lake Powell, a popular destination on the Utah-Arizona line, was an accident, the National Park Service announced Friday.

However the source of last week’s blaze at Wahweap Marina remains undetermined, the Park Service said in a statement.

Officials said eyewitness photos and video helped investigators come to their conclusion.

The fire broke out in the early afternoon of June 2 as tourists were enjoying the lake. It began on one vessel before spreading to others.

Photos and videos posted online showed black plumes of smoke rising high above the lake and the red rock walls that form its perimeter.

Firefighters from multiple agencies were able to extinguish the blaze by early evening.

Two people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, according to the Park Service. There were no other injuries.

The area around the dock was subsequently closed to the public but has reopened.