Brooklyn Boro

Tragic fire kills lone boater, 86, in Brooklyn Bridge Park Marina

January 10, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
Share this:

Early morning response to a boat fire in Brooklyn Bridge Park Marina on Saturday morning revealed the body of an elderly man who appeared to have died in the blaze. 

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, and the cause of death for the 86-year-old man, who was later identified as Archie Joyner, will be determined by FDNY fire marshals and the city medical examiner, respectively.

Archie Joyner was found unresponsive in the hull of a recreational boat after firefighters put out a fire on the 52-foot recreational vessel around 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, police said. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Family and friends told the Daily News that Joyner had recently moved the 52-foot boat, called the Jefferson, from New Jersey and was living on it full-time.

According to reports from the Daily News, the massive fire at Pier 5 turned the boat into “a mass of melted, mangled plastic and fiberglass.”  A Citizen App video posted by 1010 WINS shows flames and smoke rising from the vessel as firefighters arrived.

Photo by Will Hasty

The following statement was issued Sunday by One Degree 15 Brooklyn, owners of the marina at Brooklyn Bridge Park:

“This is to advise of a recent incident in the marina. There was a boat fire early morning Saturday 1/9/2021 which resulted in a fatality on a vessel. Marina staff was onsite throughout the day working closely to monitor and assist first responders.

“The fire was extinguished with limited damage to the docks and no other boats in the marina were affected. Out of an abundance of caution we have closed B dock and moved all vessels to C dock pending the results of a review by the Bureau of Fire Investigation, FDNY and the NYPD of the incident. However, the marina remains fully operational and open otherwise.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this unfortunate incident. Out of respect to their privacy, the marina will not be releasing further information at this time.”

Photo by Will Hasty
Subscribe to our newsletters


Leave a Comment


Leave a Comment