RedactedNarrative: On Sunday August 14th 2016 I (Officer#1 of the Maryland Natural Resource Police) and Officer#2 were on patrol when we received a call in reference to a boat fire at the St. Georges Island boat ramp. We responded to the location and found an 18ft 6in Sea Ray that had been pulled out of the water with obvious burn damage. I went to the boat to take photographs and talk to the fire department while Officer#2 began interviewing the individuals on board the vessel. 
   The fire department informed me that when they arrived on location the boat was in the water, still tied to the dock. It was completely engulfed in flames and all individuals on board had already vacated the vessel. They extinguished the fire, and brought the boat onto land in order to prevent it from sinking. They also made me aware that Trooper 7 had been called for two of the individuals on board (Passenger1 and Passenger2) due to serious burns to their legs. The individuals were being flown to Med Star Washington Hospital burn center. 
  Officer#2 interviewed the remaining four individuals that were on board the vessel. Operator1 was identified as the owner and operator of the boat. He reported that he had fueled the boat up that day shortly before arriving at the boat ramp. Once they had launched the boat and tied to the docks Operator1 ran the blower for approximately three minutes, started the engine, and then approximately three minutes later he heard “an explosion and saw flames shooting out of the engine.” At that time everyone evacuated the vessel before it became completely engulfed. Operator1 stated that he did not activate any switches on the vessel other than the blower and the engine start, and that no other electronics were active except for a battery-powered radio and cellphones. He did not see, hear, or smell anything unusual onboard prior to the accident. He said that he heard the blower motor running when he activated the blower switch
   Officer#2 then interviewed Passenger3, the left rear passenger on the vessel. Passenger3 did not recall seeing Operator1 activate any switches other than the engine start or recall hearing the blower motor running, but said that he is unfamiliar with boats. Passenger3 did not see, hear, or smell anything unusual onboard prior to the accident. Passenger3 said that after Operator1 started the vessel and it had run for approximately three minutes, he heard an explosion, then saw flames shooting out of the bottom of the engine box. The top of the box was blown open by the explosion, but he slammed it back down in an attempt to contain the fire.
  Officer#2 also interviewed Passenger4 and Passenger5; however there was a language barrier. They both reported not seeing the operator activate any switches other than the engine start. 
   Operator1 provided his boater safety card and informed us that he had approximately 1,000 hours of boating experience. He further stated that the vessel was equipped with enough personal flotation devices for all those on board although no one was wearing one at the time, there was also a fire extinguisher on board which was not used in the incident. Operator1 was unsure if the boat was equipped with a backfire flame arrestor. Due to the damage from the fire we were unable to tell the make of the engine on the boat or if it had the arrestor. Operator1 had just purchased this vessel, the title was on board the boat and was destroyed in the fire, the bill of sale was at his residence. 
  Deputy Fire Marshal#1 responded to the scene and assumed primary on the investigation.  Deputy Fire Marshal#2 interviewed the two passengers at Medstar Washington.
  All events occurred in Saint Marys County, the case is currently closed.
  