On May 14, 2012 at approximately 1800 hours it was reported that a boat was on fire at the Richland Yacht Club at the Columbia Point Marina on the Columbia River in Richland, WA.  It was explained that 2 persons had been burned but were out of the water and en route to the hospital.  The boat was still adrift and burning. 

Witnesses reported seeing the operator idling the boat, a 16' Crestliner with an outboard motor, into the Richland Yacht Club marina and then headed to the fuel dock located near the west end of the club docks.  The male operator fueled the vessel then began idling away.  The operator was reported to have been operating the vessel standing up between the starboard helm seat and the port side companion seat.  It was reported that a female passenger had been occupying the port companion seat. 

The boat did not quite reach the end of the docks between D and E dock when a "pop" was heard.  Immediately thick black smoke and flames were seen coming from the vicinity of the boat. 

Both occupants had severe 2nd and 3rd degree burns on their bodies.  Fire personnel arrived and immediately departed with the male and female in ambulances.  The boat was out of reach of the fire personnel's apparatus and burned to the water line.  It sank in shallow water along the dike on the west bank of the river, with a portion of the outboard motor and stern sticking out of the water.

Richland                      