St. Charles County marina sues boat owners after devastating fire

Nov. 6--ST. CHARLES COUNTY -- Woodland Marina, which suffered a devastating fire that destroyed at least 100 boats last month, sued boat owners Thursday over their insurance coverage.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, asks a judge to declare that the marina is not responsible for any of the damage to boats.

The suit says boat owners were required to obtain insurance for their property under their rental agreement.

It goes on to say that the marina "bears no responsibility for any damages to defendants."

The suit names 59 owners and says 17 have already made claims against the marina for damages.

It says the Oct. 7 fire began when a marina employee was replacing the bilge pump float switch on a boat owned by Hoangfong Pham that was in the marina's rack storage building. Flames then spread to the building and the surrounding boats.

Marina manager Carl Bumba estimated shortly after the fire that at least 100 boats were inside the building.

The facility is on the Mississippi River west of St. Charles County Regional Airport, Smartt Field.

Lawyers for the marina did not return an email Thursday seeking comment. A message to Bumba was not immediately returned Friday.

Ken Kirchhofer, who is not named in the suit but had a boat destroyed in the fire, told the Post-Dispatch on Friday that he knew that some boat owners only insured their boats during the boating season. Those policies began April 1 and ended Oct. 1, he said.

"They made it crystal clear -- you insure your own boat," Kirchhofer said of the marina.

Pham said in a text message that his boat was insured year-round and that he has already opened a claim with his insurance company. He also said he had not been informed of the cause of the fire.

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