TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The Tropical Breeze Casino boat is reopening for business Thursday. The casino temporarily closed after its shuttle boat caught fire on Sunday sending passengers plunging into cold water. 15 people were injured, one Florida man later passed away.
A representative for the Tropical Breeze Casino tells News Channel 8 instead of using a shuttle into international waters, the casino boat will pick up passengers, for now. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to investigate the fire, but tells News Channel 8 it has no restrictions on the reopening of the Tropical Breeze.
According to the company’s Facebook page, Tropical Breeze will operate on a modified schedule for the next several days and will offer one cruise on Thursday from 3:30 to 10 p.m. The cruise will sail at noon and 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Typically, the casino provides three shuttles daily.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
One of the men injured when he jumped from the burning shuttle boat tells News Channel 8 that Tropical Breeze Casino is covering the medical bills of passengers who were on the shuttle boat when it caught fire. The casino asks that anyone on the shuttle should contact the company to get instructions for submitting their medical bills.
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