UPDATED: Scroll Down for More Photos - NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Crews with the Nashville Fire Department responded to a reported boat fire at Elm Hill Marina just before 7 a.m. Wednesday, finding a houseboat fully involved with heavy smoke and flames upon arrival.

Firefighters reported the burning vessel was docked in its slip and that the fire had already spread to several nearby boats. Crews immediately began suppression efforts from the dock, stretching a handline the length of the pier. Due to the lack of fire hydrants within the marina, responders established a tank-to-tank water supply to support operations.

Additional resources were requested, including marine units from Fire Department Marine Operations—Boat 22 and Boat 35—along with the Office of Emergency Management Marine 1 vessel. These units attacked the fire from the water while crews on the dock continued suppression efforts.

To mitigate environmental impact, responders requested more than 1,000 feet of containment boom to control potential fuel leakage and runoff from the damaged boats.

At least 13 vessels sustained damage in the fire. Officials said the most severe damage occurred at the end of the dock where the fire originated, while boats moored closer to the beginning of the dock were not affected. All occupants evacuated prior to the arrival of emergency personnel, and no injuries were reported.

Earlier today, Tanker 17 from the Williamson Fire-Rescue also responded to help provide mutual aid after receiving a request to assist the Nashville Fire Department at the fire that broke out at Elm Hill Marina. Fortunately no injuries are reported, according to Williamson County officials who were on the scene up until around 4 PM.

Once the fire was extinguished and the scene stabilized, command was transferred to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire. Nashville Fire Department crews terminated command at approximately 10:45 a.m.

PERCY PRIEST LAKE (WGNS) - A massive fire around 7:00 o'clock Tuesday (2/3/2026) morning at Elm Hill Marina on Percy Priest Lake left more than a dozen boats damaged and sent a thick column of smoke visible for many miles. Because Percy Priest’s shoreline stretches deep into Rutherford County, the incident immediately drew the attention of local boaters—many of whom keep their vessels at Elm Hill or have friends who live year‑round on the lake.

Nashville Fire Department crews arrived to find a houseboat fully engulfed in its slip, flames already spreading to neighboring vessels packed tightly along the dock. The occupants of the houseboat escaped safely before firefighters reached the scene, and no injuries were reported. Within minutes, the fire intensified, racing down the far end of the pier where boats were moored closely together. Officials later confirmed that at least 13 vessels were damaged, with the heaviest destruction concentrated at the outermost section of the dock. Boats closer to shore remained largely untouched.

Marine Operations units, including Boat 22, Boat 35, and the Office of Emergency Management’s Marine 1, attacked the fire from the water while firefighters continued suppression efforts from the dock. Their coordinated response helped keep the blaze from spreading farther into the marina. At least one burning boat was cut loose and allowed to drift so it could be extinguished away from other vessels.

Firefighters faced significant challenges inside the marina, where no hydrants are available. Crews stretched a handline the full length of the pier and relied on a tank‑to‑tank water supply. Wildlife officers and emergency management teams assisted from the water, working to contain the flames and protect nearby boats.

Environmental protection quickly became part of the response. More than 1,000 feet of containment boom was requested to capture fuel and runoff from the damaged vessels, preventing further impact to the lake. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is now leading the investigation into what sparked the fire, which continued to smolder for hours after the initial call.

While the houseboat’s occupants escaped unharmed, officials note that many people live year‑round on their boats. With the recent stretch of arctic cold, winter conditions can create dangerous situations for live‑aboard residents, making Tuesday’s fire an unsettling reminder of the risks they face.