CHICAGO (July 24, 2024) – Two people were seriously injured Tuesday afternoon when a boat on Lake Michigan exploded near Waukegan.
Nearby boaters rushed in to rescue the two men on the boat until the Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Unit, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources arrived to help.
The Lake County Sherriff’s office was able to identify one occupant as a 46-year-old man from Washington and a 55-year-old man from Franklin Park, Illinois. Both suffered from burn injuries and smoke inhalation and were transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, the Patch reports.
After the men were recovered, the boat continued to burn for 90 minutes before sinking, FOX 32 reports.
The U.S. Coast Guard sent an additional team to evaluate the amount of pollution from the fire.
The Illinois Conservation Police are investigating the cause of the explosion.
