Fire that destroyed Paddlewheel Princess is 'suspicious in nature'

A boat that has made Manitoba memories for decades on the Red River has been destroyed by fire.

Around 12 a.m. on Tuesday, the Selkirk Fire Department received a call about a grass fire. When they arrived on scene the Paddlewheel Princess, which was parked in a slough connected to the Red River, was engulfed in flames.

Fire Chief Craig Fiebelkorn said fire crews had to fight the blaze from the shore as the boat was slanted in the water while it was burning.

“It was unsafe to send guys on the boat, so we had to fight from shore,” he said.

Crews were able to get the flames under control two hours later.

Fiebelkorn said Paddlewheel Princess is destroyed and all that is left of the boat is a metal frame.

He said the cause of the fire is “suspicious in nature.”

There were no injuries. Damage estimates are not yet known.

Selkirk RCMP is working with the Office of the Fire Commissioner on this continuing investigation.