BY MARY JANE FARMER

HERALD DEMOCRAT

PRESTON -- A two-stall boat house suffered fire damage Friday evening, but the boats inside it were pulled out before they, too, caught fire.

Preston Fire Chief Allen Vols said the cause of the fire, which had been called in about 5:30 p.m., is under investigation.

When the first of several fire departments arrived, the boat house was engulfed in flames. Vols said they learned quickly that a good Samaritan, one who has a nearby boat house, had already pulled the two boats out, saving them from damage.

Preston, Locust and Pottsboro fire departments worked in tandem to get the flames out quickly, including an interior attack.

The risk to firefighters is increased when working on structure fires on floating docks because of the limited work space, which poses problems of falling into the water. Even though the water in that area is comparatively shallow, the weight of firefighter bunker gear can hinder the safety of any who topple into the water.

The boat house is still erect, Vols said, although there is damage to it. Preston Fire Department is conducting the investigation.