Boat explodes, two rescued on Lake Michigan off Chicago's north suburbs
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) -- Two people were rescued after an apparent boat explosion Tuesday afternoon on Lake Michigan near Waukegan.
The U.S. Coast Guard said that around 2:45 p.m., they received a report of a "personal watercraft explosion" about two miles northeast of the Waukegan Harbor.
The call for help came in shortly before 3 p.m. A 25-foot fiberglass hull powerboat on Lake Michigan approximately two miles northeast of the Waukegan Harbor had just exploded.
The boat was seen engulfed in flames and smoke near the power plant at the end of Greenwood Avenue, according to the Waukegan Fire Department.
Two boaters onboard—a 46-year-old from Washington, Illinois near Peoria; and a 55-year-old from west suburban Franklin Park—were rescued and brought to shore by a Good Samaritan. But both were seriously injured.
Both men, officials said, suffered burns and smoke inhalation. They were taken in serious condition to Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan.
"I've been out on this lake since I was 7 years old. I've had my own boat since I was 17," said boater Jim Schiffman, "and we don't see boats explode."
Schiffman was nearby when the boat exploded, and he immediately noticed the smoke from several miles away.
"Lots of flames. Smoke was billowing," he said. "Out of curiosity, we want to go see what was going on—and they had unloaded two passengers off a pontoon boat that had been thrown or blown into the water by a boat that exploded."
The rescue was nothing short of a miracle, Schiffman said. Due to the bad weather, there were hardly any boats out on the water.
Another boater captured the moments the flames slowly went out, before what was left of the boat quickly sank into the lake.
Investigators said the boat was a total loss. The only part that could be salvaged from it was a cushion that was pulled out of the water by boaters in the area.
"New boaters, old boaters—number one, if you're going to boat on this lake, you have to respect the lake," said Schiffman. "This lake is so dangerous."
The cause of the explosion remained under investigation by Illinois Conservation Police late Wednesday.
Meanwhile, as the summer continues, boaters are urging safety.
"Know the lake, understand it, check your weather, check your boating forecast—and make sure somebody knows you're out there," Schiffman said.
The U.S. Coast Guard said there was no evidence of any pollution from the burning boat, but that salvage crews and pollution responders were monitoring the situation.
The cause of the explosion remained unknown late Tuesday.
