conception, conception. >> reporter: 30 miles from the mainland just north of los angeles, first responders beaten back by the inferno. >> it keeps being extinguished and reflashing possibly due to the amount of fool onboard. unsure why. >> reporter: five crew members escaped. >> the crew was actually already awake and on the bridge and they jumped off. five people were evacuated aboard a good samaritan pleasure craft known as the grape escape. >> reporter: one brought ashore on a stretcher rushed to the hospital, one limping, an injured ankle. two shoeless and shocked. 32 others were belowdecks. we're told there are numerous fatalities. listen to the dispatcher on that mayday call asking questions. >> roger. are they locked inside the boat? roger. can you get back onboard and unlock the doors so they can get off? >> reporter: we cannot hear the answers, and the coast guard has said the boast was in compliance. >> we are combing the shoreline.