Two men were seriously injured following a boat explosion on Lake Michigan near Waukegan, as first reported by CBS News Detroit. The incident, which incurred burns and smoke inhalation for a 46-year-old from Washington, Illinois, and a 55-year-old man from Franklin Park, occurred yesterday afternoon around 2:45 p.m. northeast of Waukegan Harbor. Both individuals were rescued by a nearby pontoon boat, navigating the waters despite poor weather conditions which saw fewer boats out on the lake.
"If there wasn't a boat out there, and there were very few boats out today, those guys could have gone down," witness Jim Schiffman said, as per ABC 7 Chicago. Schiffman, who provided a cell phone video of the smoking aftermath, claimed it was a rare occurrence on the lake.
According to CBS News Detroit, responders to the incident included the U.S. Coast Guard which received reports of the "personal watercraft explosion". The two victims were taken to Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan in serious condition. The Coast Guard also mentioned that there was no evidence of pollution from the boat, which was later confirmed as a total loss.
Witnesses and safety officials advocated for vigilance while boating. "New boaters, old boaters—number one, if you're going to boat on this lake, you have to respect the lake," Schiffman explained. The U.S. Coast Guard has advised that there was no pollution from the boat following the fiery incident, as supported by WBBM Newsradio, but salvage crews and pollution responders will continue to monitor the situation. Visibility of heavy flames and a large plume of smoke was reported for nearly an hour after the explosion.
