A roughly 60-foot catamaran erupted into flames along Fort Lauderdale's Hendricks Isle early Sunday morning, sending smoke billowing for miles after residents reported hearing what sounded like an explosion as the vessel was consumed by flames. The vessel, identified as Promiscuous, was engulfed by fire concentrated toward its stern, and neighbors said the blaze grew within seconds of igniting.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews were called to the 100 block of Hendricks Isles around 6:05 a.m., according to fire rescue, as reported by Local 10 News. Officials said nearly 20 units responded to the scene, and firefighters used tools to cut into the vessel to reach smoldering hotspots that had spread through the hull. No injuries were reported, according to the outlet's report, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
A Six-Figure Refit Undone in Minutes
Promiscuous was listed for sale for about $1 million, per residents cited in the station's report. The catamaran is a 58-foot Leopard 58 multihull designed by Simonis Voogd Design and built by South African manufacturer Robertson & Caine, featuring a six-cabin ensuite layout and a 27-foot 8-inch beam, according to Bluewater Yacht Sales.
Before hitting the Fort Lauderdale market for a listed price of $845,000, the boat underwent a refit valued at more than $350,000 in 2024, according to David Walters Yachts. That overhaul included new standing and running rigging, new transmissions, and extensive electrical and cosmetic upgrades after the catamaran was retired from crewed charter service, restoring it to what listings described as private cruising condition.
A Narrow Canal Packed With Multi-Million-Dollar Homes
Hendricks Isle is a residential finger canal off Las Olas Boulevard lined with luxury condominiums and townhomes, where one property was listed at $1.795 million, per Homes.com. Its canal setting helps explain why a vessel like Promiscuous was docked there in the first place.
Fort Lauderdale's more than 300 miles of inland waterways create a geography that forces emergency responders to navigate narrow residential canals during marine blazes, according to the City of Fort Lauderdale. The department maintains Fireboat 49, a 42-foot MetalCraft Marine vessel out of Station 49 capable of pumping 4,700 gallons of water per minute, per CapeCodFD.com.
Florida recorded 685 reportable boating accidents in 2024, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
