“An antique wooden boat going up in flames,” is how one observer described the scene yesterday, Sunday, June 16, 2013, when a boat exploded and caught fire on Lake Lanier near Buford Dam Park.
A caller to 911 also told authorities the boat exploded and began to burn.
Two adults and one young girl abandoned the boat quickly enough to escape with non-life-threatening injuries, according to authorities who responded to the accident shortly after 2 PM. The child was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for treatment of third-degree burns.
Dark acrid smoke from the boat fire could be seen throughout the area.
Arson investigators from Gwinnett County had the remains of the boat towed to shore for further investigation.
One video that purports to show the boat aflame was posted on YouTube. We cannot verify the veracity of the video, but you may judge for yourself by clicking on the link below.
We are thankful that this accident did not take any lives.
We are grateful to all who came to the rescue of the boat’s occupants.
