Two People, Dog Rescued From Burning Boat Off Coast Of Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Two people and a dog were rescued from the water off Ocean City, New Jersey late Sunday morning after their boat went up in flames.

The Coast Guard says they received an emergency call around 10:45 a.m. from the 46-foot sailing vessel.  A crew from Atlantic City made it to the fiery scene in under 15 minutes to find the passengers and their pup had safely evacuated to a dinghy.  They were brought on board the Coast Guard craft and were expected to be fine.

"The owner's understanding of emergency procedures allowed for quick Coast Guard response," said Petty Officer 1st Class Neena Santiago, an operations specialist at the Sector Delaware Bay command center. "His vessel was equipped with a VHF marine radio, life jackets and a dinghy — all crucial to the safety of the people aboard and their dog."

People lining the beach and others in nearby waterfront homes could see smoke rising from the burning boat about three-and-a-half miles offshore.

None of the survivors were injured.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the boat to go up in flames as an investigation continues.