TACOMA - One boat was destroyed and another heavily damaged when fire swept through a boathouse at a Tacoma marina Saturday evening, fire officials said.

Witnesses said there was an explosion just before or after the fire started.

Fire officials said one boathouse, with a boat inside, were destroyed. A second boat was heavily damaged.

Fire officials have estimated the blaze caused more than $1 million in damage - but it could have been a lot worse. If the wind had shifted, it could have pushed the flames toward several other boats at the adjoining docks.

"If we would have had a southerly wind, that is prevailing right here, we would have lost all of H dock, and all of G dock including my boat," said Michael McNerthney.

More than 50 firefighters responded to the two-alarm blaze at Ole and Charlie's High & Dry Marina at 4224 Marine View Drive in Tacoma, while two tugboats from the Foss Marine Co. and a Tacoma Fire Department fire boat responded from the water.

The marina is located just south of Federal Way on the Hylebos Waterway near Commencement Bay.

"You could see the flames coming out, you could actually feel the heat," said witness Jim McCullough.

The blaze was first reported at about 5:30 p.m., and fire crews spent several hours dousing hot spots after getting the fire under control.

The Tacoma fire boat also was able to rescue several people from the area.

"They came in the with the boats and got everybody out and out of the docks," said witness Bill Kelly.

There were no reports of injuries.

Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire. But witnesses said they heard an explosion just before or after the blaze, and at least one of them speculated that it could have been a propane tank.

The Coast Guard was investigating to see if the fire had resulted in an oil spill.