WINONA, Minn. — Firefighters extinguished a fire in a boat that had been anchored by the pilot in the Mississippi River main channel as he abandoned the burning vessel. No one was injured. This was off Latsch Island about 5 p.m. Winona firefighters launched from Dick’s marina to reach the disabled vessel, whose aft engine compartment was spewing black smoke. They made sure the ignition and other switches were shut off, then pumped water into a seating at the rear of the vessel and the engine compartment. This was as the boat’s pilot watched from another boat that had picked him up. Once the fire was out, the sheriff’s dive-rescue team towed the disabled boat to Dick’s marina.
