Minister to assess damage after 5 fishing boats destroyed by fire in Quebec’s Magdalen Islands [Video]

Federal fisheries minister Diane Lebouthillier was scheduled to visit the Magdalen Islands’ Grande-Entrée wharf Monday after five fishing boats were destroyed by a fire.

The fire broke out one of the vessels Sunday morning and then spread to four others in the harbour. All but one of the boats sank, spilling an estimated 18 and 220 litres of hydrocarbons into the waters, according to the Canadian Coast Guard.

Firefighters took about three hours to extinguish the blaze in the wharf, which is home to more than 100 lobster boats. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Diane Lebouthillier, who is the MP for the area and is Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, is set to arrive in the Port of Grande-Entrée Monday afternoon to assess the damage. She will be accompanied by Mayor Antonin Valiquette, who is also president of the Communauté maritime des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, …