Long Island man seriously burned after boat explodes in canal

February 11, 2023 admin 0 Comments

A Long Island man suffered serious burns and injuries when a boat he was riding on exploded in a canal on Thursday, local authorities said.

The dramatic scene was captured on video in Orowoc Creek canal in Islip shortly after 10:15 p.m. on Sunday night, The Islip Fire Department said.

Officials determined that a propane explosion had occurred onboard the sailboat, causing significant damage to the craft and trapping an occupant inside of the cabin underneath debris. The fire was already out by the time fire officials arrived.

Dramatic surveillance video footage of the blast, obtained by CBS News, shows the boat violently burst into flames while docked in the water, sending debris flying in all directions.

“I heard a loud boom, explosion, sounded like a bomb,” witness Gus, whose yacht was docked nearby, told the news outlet. Gus said he called 911 after he heard the victim screaming for help.

Surveillance footage obtained by CBS shows the sailboat suddenly burst into flames.

CBS New York

Fire officials said they believe the cause of the fire was a propane leak.

The victim was airlifted to Stony Brook Hospital.

No others were injured in the explosion.

Firefighters and deputies with the Suffolk County Police Department got on board the boat and began pulling debris off the man, identified as 44-year-old Scott Murray, fire officials said.

At the same time, other responders cut a hole in the port side of the boat so a rescue basket could get on board to load the patient.

Rescuers freed Murray from the boat and transported him on the rescue basket and to an ambulance where he immediately began receiving care for serious burns and other injuries, officials said. He was then taken to Islip Middle School where he was picked up by a Suffolk Police Helicopter and transported to Stony Brook University Hospital.