Lake Lanier Boat Fire Ruled Accidental

The boat fire that injured three people Sunday (June 16) on Lake Lanier has been ruled accidental, authorities said.

In a news release Tuesday, Gwinnett Fire said the boat, a wooden 1957 Chris Craft, was experiencing mechanical problems prior to the explosion and fire. The family of three was able to make it several hundred yards from the shoreline before the trouble started.

The boat operator said that the vessel experienced near stalls with an actual stall, and no other indications of problems until the time of the explosion, according to the news release. A flash fire and a smaller fire resulted approximately 20 minutes after getting under way.

Arson investigators, with the help of marine specialists, noted that the incident was like that of a marine vessel explosion where fuel vapors contact an ignition source. The exact ignition source was undetermined.

The boat was not equipped with a gasoline fume exhaust blower, which would aid in the removal of explosive vapors from the bilge area.