A young boy suffered burns following a boat explosion on Lake Texoma over the weekend, according to authorities.
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On Sunday, August 4, at 2:45 p.m. local time, the Madill Fire Department in Oklahoma was dispatched following reports of an explosion at Bridgeview Marina, as stated in a department announcement.
“There were individuals on the boat at the time of the explosion. One of the individuals was flown to a higher level of care for minor burns, and no other injuries were reported,” fire officials explained in a statement.
According to the local ABC affiliate WFAA, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that three individuals were on the boat at the time: a 5-year-old boy, a 25-year-old woman, and a 51-year-old woman. While the two women escaped without injuries, the young boy was airlifted to the Parkland Burn Center in Dallas, Texas, due to multiple burns on his face, arms, and legs.
“Madill Fire Department and Tri-City Fire Department worked diligently to extinguish the fire,” officials explained. “We drafted water from the lake and were able to extinguish the fire in a timely manner.”
“We’d like to say Thank You to MCEMS, MCSO, Tow-Boat-US, and Tri-City Fire Department for the hard work and effort it took to care for the individuals and extinguish the fire.”
An Eyewitness Describes the Aftermath of the Boat Explosion That Left a Boy Burned
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety informed WFAA that the boat’s passengers were fueling it when the explosion occurred. One passenger attempted to start the engine, causing gasoline fumes to escape, which ultimately triggered the explosion.
Kami Elkins and her children were enjoying a day on Lake Texoma when they spotted black plumes of smoke rising in the distance.
“We were going to give them our fire extinguishers to help. Then we saw the smoke getting worse,” Elkins recalled to Fox 4.
The first responders were just minutes away from the scene.
“We didn’t know that a family was previously on the boat,” Elkins added.
“Here I am with my husband and my two kids, and we are sitting out here watching this,” Elkins continued. “And there’s a family that had to drag their own kid off the boat from getting burned.”
After being airlifted to the hospital, the boy’s condition has been reported as stable.
An investigation is still underway.