Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 3, 1991                   TAG: 9103030196
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FIRE DAMAGES MONETA MARINA

The fire burned through dried-out wooden walkways, docks and boat slips. And a roof that covered the section of the marina collapsed onto two pontoon boats and nine motorboats, destroying all of them.

"They all burned right down to the water," said Clifton Byrd, owner of the marina.

The fire started about 5:30 p.m. and was extinguished within a few hours.

Byrd said he learned about the fire while he was visiting the boat show at the Roanoke Civic Center.

When he got to his marina shortly after sunset, the fire was out. He said firefighters prevented the blaze from damaging a few other buildings near the docks.

"They did all they could do," he said. "It just went up in a hurry."

Byrd said he didn't know - nor did fire or police officials tell him - what may have started the blaze.

Byrd said he built the marina five years ago and plans to rebuild the damaged docks.

Boat slips are rented to boat owners who keep their boats at the lake year-round. Byrd said he had begun notifying owners Saturday night.