OPERATOR OF VESSEL WAS AT ANCHOR ON A SANDBAR AT UNION LAKE.  OPERATOR ATTEMPTED TO START THE INBOARD MOTOR WHICH LEAD TO AN EXPLOSION AND THE ENGINE COVER BEING EJECTED FROM THE VESSEL.  OPERATOR RAN THE BLOWER BETWEEN 15 - 30 SECONDS PRIOR TO STARTING THE VESSEL.  AS WITNESS WAS COMING BACK ONTO THE BOAT, HE RAN THE BLOWER LIKE HE USUALLY DOES AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO START THE MOTOR.  HE STATED THAT HE HEARD A "POP," THE ENGINE COVER BLEW OFF, AND A LARGE FLAME BEGAN TO SPREAD ACROSS THE BOAT.  OPERATOR AND WITNESS ABANDONED THE BOAT AND APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AFTER THE FIRE STARTED, THERE WAS A SECOND LARGER EXPLOSION.  OPERATOR CHECKED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE BLOWER THE DAY BEFORE AND CONFIRED THAT IT WAS WORKING CORRECTLY.
UNION LAKE
COMMERCE TWP.                 