Seven suffer from burns after explosion on boat on Cheat Lake

CHEAT LAKE, W.Va (WDTV) - UPDATE 08/17/2020

Seven people suffered from burns after an explosion on a boat on Cheat Lake Sunday evening.

According to West Virginia Division of Natural Resources spokesman Lawrence Messina, around 6:40 p.m., the boat just refueled at Edgewater Marina when the operator tried to start the engine of the Crownline watercraft. That is when the explosion happened.

Messina said eight people were on the boat at the time.

The seven people injured were taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital, Messina said. Two of the victim were eventually flown to a burn treatment center in Pittsburgh.

DNR police continue to investigate the incident.

ORIGINAL STORY

Officials from Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department (Co. 14) confirm a boat exploded Sunday afternoon.

Officials also say there were multiple transports.

Adam Romesburg, who was fishing at Cheat Lake’s Mt. Chateau Rd. dock when the incident occurred, said he saw a large parade of emergency services vehicles travel through Mt. Chateau Rd. at around 7 o’clock.

“We thought someone was in trouble,” says Romesburg.

“We didn’t see anything except for all the emergency vehicles coming, for that many fire trucks and police cars, especially the ambulances - there were five or six ambulances as well, we knew there was some kind of big accident with boats.”

This is a developing story. Stick with 5 News for updates.