Since we're talking fires, here is my story of a stupid (non-boat-related) fire that has caused me to be super careful around flammable solvents for the last 40 years.
I was in graduate school, working in my lab one afternoon. The synthesis I was following called for using a bunsen burner to "flame dry" my glassware to remove any water that could react with my reagents. The next thing to be added to the flask was sodium metal, which was then to be rinsed with pentane to remove the oil in which it was stored. For those who never took organic chemistry, pentane is a solvent just one carbon heavier than butane, super flammable, with a boiling point just above room temperature, and flash point well below freezing. I had a half-full gallon of pentane staged on the bench top ready to use, with the bunsen burner going, when I reached for something and somehow stupidly knocked the pentane jug to the floor at my feet. The result was spectacular. The pentane found the flame, ignited, and flames shot up my lab coat, igniting the coat and my beard. I was fortunately able to rip the lab coat off before my clothes caught fire, snuff out the beard fire, and then use three CO2 fire extinguishers to douse the flames (those CO2 extinguishers do NOT last that long). In the aftermath I was more embarrassed by my stupidity than hurt, as I only had mild second degree burns on both hands. In fact, I was back at the lab that evening cleaning up the mess I had made.
All of which helps explain why to this day I will ALWAYS look around for pilot lights before opening up any can of naptha or acetone.