With more and more people returning to outdoor recreational activities because of the change in seasons and movement away from the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic, boating accidents, drowning accidents, and other aquatic accidents are on the rise. What was expected to be a pleasant afternoon on the water on Lake Lanier in Georgia on Sunday afternoon turned into a nightmare for six people on a boat. At midafternoon, a boat exploded while docked at Margaritaville, severely injuring three people with three others evidently sustaining less serious injuries.
Game Wardens assigned to Lake Lanier responded to the scene of the blast immediately after the explosion. Despite the arrival of emergency personnel within a matter of a few minutes, the boat already was fully engulfed in flames after what was described as a powerful explosion. In fact, flames had already spread beyond the boat to a nearby dock. Firefighters were able to successfully combat the blaze on Sunday afternoon, preventing it from spreading further and extinguishing it on the boat and dock.
Two people were airlifted to an area hospital due to the severe nature of their injuries. The pair taken by air ambulance to Grady Memorial Hospital were a 16-year-old girl and a 13-year-old-boy. A 39-year-old woman was taken to the same medical center by ground ambulance with what are described as very serious injuries. The current status of the three individuals taken to the hospital is not immediately available. Having said that, as of Monday morning, the presumption is that all three are expected to live.
Three other people on the boat at the time of the explosion were also injured. According to officials at the scene, these people declined medical treatment, although the recommendation evidently was that they seek medical treatment at the hospital as well. With all of this said, the injuries sustained by this trio are deemed significantly less serious than those suffered by the individuals rushed to the medical center.
The Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the Lake Lanier boat explosion, including what precipitated the blast in the first instance. Some basic information is available at this time, including the fact that the boat was in the process of being refueled at the Margaritaville dock at the time of the explosion. This key bit of information on some level raises more questions than it answers, including:
- Who was physically refueling the boat and did that individual engage in some type of action or failed to do so that resulted in or contributed to the blast?
- Is there a design, maintenance, construction, or some other defect associated with the boat or fuel tank that resulted in or contributed to the blast?
- Was fuel pump or delivery line somehow defective?
- Was someone else engaging in some type of conduct that resulted in or contributed to the explosion?
- Who owned the boat? Was it a private watercraft or a charter?
- Were any prior safety issues reported with the boat or the refueling station?
If you’ve been injured in a boating accident like the Lake Lanier boat explosion, you undoubtedly have a good many questions about your legal rights. A boat accident lawyer from The Doan Law Firm is available at any time convenient to you to answer your questions and provide you the information you need about your situation.
A nationwide law practice, The Doan Law Firm has offices located across the country. You can connect with a boating accident, drowning accident, or other type of aquatic accident lawyer by calling our firm at (800) 349-0000. Out boating accident lawyer hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including all major holidays.
We can schedule an initial consultation with you at any one of our 40 offices, at your home, or at any other location convenient for you. This includes a virtual case evaluation online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm boat accident lawyer.
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