A man was treated for second-degree burns after a boat exploded in Calvert County Thursday evening and was towed away from a dock by a citizen as it was engulfed in flames.
Natural Resource Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson said that police received a call of a boat explosion in Solomons at the Solomons Island Yacht Club around 7:30 p.m.
A 22-foot Thunderbird powerboat exploded while it was refueling, Thomson said, throwing its owner Michael Shawn Franz, 38, of Westminster, into the cabin of the boat.
His father, Charles Franz, 61, of Glen Burnie was either thrown into the water by the blast or jumped in after the boat caught fire, Thomson said.
Michael was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center to be treated for second-degree burns on his legs, Thomson said.
Charles refused treatment by paramedics at the scene, Thomson said.
The explosion also saw a civilian drag Franz's boat away from the dock with their own boat, possibly saving the dock from catching on fire and potentially harming those nearby.
Thomson said after the rope tying Franz's boat to the dock was cut, Lee Tippett use his "Fin Finder" boat to drag the powerboat away from the dock.
Video of the incident shows Tippett dragging the boat out into deeper water as it is fully engulfed in flames and dark smoke billows into the evening sky.
The Department of Natural Resources regularly honors citizens who help during incidents where others' lives are in danger and Thomson said Tippett's effort "certainly rises to that level."
Investigators with the Fire Marshal's office returned to the scene Friday alongside police to recreate the incident and interview those involved to determine the cause of the explosion, Thomson said.
Natural Resource Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson said that police received a call of a boat explosion in Solomons at the Solomons Island Yacht Club around 7:30 p.m.
A 22-foot Thunderbird powerboat exploded while it was refueling, Thomson said, throwing its owner Michael Shawn Franz, 38, of Westminster, into the cabin of the boat.
His father, Charles Franz, 61, of Glen Burnie was either thrown into the water by the blast or jumped in after the boat caught fire, Thomson said.
Michael was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center to be treated for second-degree burns on his legs, Thomson said.
Charles refused treatment by paramedics at the scene, Thomson said.
The explosion also saw a civilian drag Franz's boat away from the dock with their own boat, possibly saving the dock from catching on fire and potentially harming those nearby.
Thomson said after the rope tying Franz's boat to the dock was cut, Lee Tippett use his "Fin Finder" boat to drag the powerboat away from the dock.
Video of the incident shows Tippett dragging the boat out into deeper water as it is fully engulfed in flames and dark smoke billows into the evening sky.
The Department of Natural Resources regularly honors citizens who help during incidents where others' lives are in danger and Thomson said Tippett's effort "certainly rises to that level."
Investigators with the Fire Marshal's office returned to the scene Friday alongside police to recreate the incident and interview those involved to determine the cause of the explosion, Thomson said.
RSS Feed