Several people received non-life-threatening injuries Saturday night when a boat exploded in Land Shark Cove on Lake Lanier.
Mark McKinnon, spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), says game wardens were notified about a boat fire with injuries in the cove.
“Upon arrival, they observed paramedics treating several victims with non-life-threatening injuries, McKinnon said. “After interviewing the boat owner, victims, and witnesses, it was determined that the hull blower was not activated prior to starting the vessel. A flash explosion then occurred inside the hull of the vessel.”
One victim, he said, was thrown into the water and rescued by others who were present.
Five people were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville for further treatment.
An Internet search turns up this definition of a hull blower: a type of blower or compressor used in marine applications to move air or pressurized gas into or around a vessel’s hull or engine compartment for specific operational or safety purposes.