Two people onboard a boat were hurt after it caught on fire.
It happened just before 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 24, on Lake Wawasee, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, as reported by our news gathering partners at ABC 57.
The two passengers suffered second-degree burns and were taken to a Fort Wayne hospital.
Six others on the board got off safely.
The cause of the blaze happened when two inboard engines caught ignited when the owner tried to start the boat after fueling it, according to the DNR.
3 comments
Do you even have an editor?
Also, boat in the water…why did they not jump out?
Thor I was not there but from my experience. Usual cause is spilled gasoline in the bilge. Even less than 1 cup of gas, once ignited in a closed bilge space will flare, low volume explosion catching and burning folks nearby This is why boaters should never start an inboard engine before opening hatch and venting any gasoline fumes before starting This would account for the second degree burns ( blisters)
The boat is placarded to run the bilge blowers before attempting to start the engines. This is why life jackets are critical components to the boating experience.