January 4th, 1974 — Because the threat of fire was severe, fueling a boat in Vancouver harbour was done from barges anchored in Coal Harbour. Gradually they caught fire and were destroyed and because the threat of spills had became a greater worry than fire they weren’t replaced. The Vancouver fireboat, long since retired and also never replaced, throws water on the burning Home Oil barge behind the Esso sign. The Captain of the small tug boat between the fireboat and the burning fuel barge was Captain Howie Keast SC who earned The Star of Courage for saving lives when he pulled the barge further out into the harbour.