THE VESSEL INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT WAS A 1990 17' BAYLINER CAPRI. THE OWNER WAS THE SOLE MALE OCCUPANT AND OPERATOR. THE OTHER THREE OCCUPANTS WERE FEMALES. OPERATOR HAD RECENLTY PURCHASED THE VESSEL AND AS A MARINE MECHANIC WAS DOING SOME WORK TO THE ENGINE. OPERATOR FUELED THE VESSEL TO IT'S FULL CAPACITY BEFORE HEADING OUT FROM THE MARINA. THE VESSEL MADE IT APPROXIMATLEY 50 YARDS FROM THE DOCKS WHEN GAS FUMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IGNITED AND BLEW THE COVER OFF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SET THE VESSEL ON FIRE. THE 4 OCCUPANTS ENTERED THE WATER WITHOUT LIFE JACKETS AS THEY WERE STORED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEY WERE QUICKLY PICKED UP BY ANOTHER BOATER NEARBY. OPERATOR AND TWO FEMALE OCCUPANTS SUFFERED MINOR BURNS TO THEIR LEGS AND WERE RELEASED BY MEDICS AT THE SCENE. WHILE I ASSISTED MARINA STAFF IN RETRIEVING AND LOADING THE BURNT VESSEL ON IT'S TRAILER, THE FUEL THAT WAS LEFT IN THE THE VESSEL AND ON THE WATER REIGNITED WHEN THE BATTERY CABLE MADE CONTACT WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK AFTER IT CLEARED THE WATER LINE. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO THE DOCKS AND THE MARINA'S WIRING SYSTEM. NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS ARE BELIEVED TO BE A FACTOR.
Geist Reservoir
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