JULY 5, 2015
GRAND HAVEN, MI –
A fire on a boat traveling on the Grand River in Grand Haven
occurred when a towel used to cover a leaking fuel pump burst into flames
Sunday afternoon, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department.
The four people aboard the 20-foot vessel jumped into the
water when the fire started and were assisted by passing boaters and the U.S.
Coast Guard, authorities said. The fire was reported to authorities at 3:44
p.m.
One person suffered a laceration, but there were no serious
injuries.
The incident occurred when the four people were returning to
Harbor Island boat launch after a day of boating on Lake Michigan. On their way
back, they smelled gasoline, and upon further inspection discovered that the
fuel pump appeared to be leaking, deputies said.
A towel was then placed around the fuel pump, and they
occupants continued toward the boat launch. The boat, a 1988 Crestliner, caught
fire near the Grand Haven power plant.
The fire was extinguished by the Ottawa County Sheriff's
office fire boat and the U.S. Coast Guard, which has a station in the channel
area.
Coast Guard officials said they had a crew on patrol near
the city power plant when they saw someone jump from a boat into the water.
When they arrived to pull that person to safety, three others jumped into the
water from that boat, seconds before it burst into flames.
The Coast Guard pulled two from the water while a good
Samaritan pulled out two more.
After the Coast Guard and Ottawa County deputies put out the
fire, the burned-out boat was towed to the Harbor Island Marina Boat Ramp.
The Coast Guard reminds boaters to wear a life jacket at all
times.
"Had a Coast Guard crew or good Samaritans not been in
the immediate area when these people jumped into the water, this case may have
had a different ending," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Ely, coxswain
on the Coast Guard's 25-foot response boat.
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GRAND HAVEN, MI - Four people were taken to the Grand Haven
Coast Guard Station after a 21-foot boat they were riding in on the Grand River
caught fire Sunday afternoon, officials said.
One person may have suffered minor injuries, dispatchers
said.
The incident occurred around 3:41 p.m. while the group was
boating on the Grand River near downtown Grand Haven, north of the municipal
power plant, officials said.
It wasn't immediately clear what caused the fire. The boat
was towed to the coast guard station following the incident.
An ambulance met the four boaters at the coast guard
station, but it wasn't immediately clear whether anyone was taken to the
hospital for treatment, dispatchers said.
In addition to the coast guard, the Ottawa County Sheriff's
Department Marine Patrol and Grand Haven Public Safety responded to the
incident.
Source: http://www.mlive.com
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Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue 4 people from burning
boat on Grand River off Grand Haven
JULY 5, 2015
GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan
rescued 4 people after their 20-foot boat caught fire on the Grand River,
Sunday.
A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Grand Haven was on an
afternoon boat safety patrol near the Grand Haven Power Plant at about 3:45
p.m. when they witnessed a person jump from a boat and into the water. When
they arrived on scene to pull that person out of the water, three other people
jumped in the water from the same boat, seconds before the boat burst into
flames. Neither person who jumped into the water was wearing a life jacket.
The Coast Guard crew pulled two people out the water and
onto their 25-foot response boat. A good Sam pulled the other two persons out
of the water before transferring them to the Coast Guard boat. All four
people were taken to Coast Guard Station Grand Haven where they were met by
Grand Haven EMS. Neither person required medical treatment.
Meanwhile, another Coast Guard crew from Station Grand Haven
arrived on scene aboard a 47-foot response boat to help fight the fire, along
with a crew aboard an Ottawa County Fire Boat. Once the fire was extinguished,
the burned vessel was towed to the Harbor Island Marina Boat Ramp.
The Coast Guard reminds boaters to wear a life jacket at all
times while underway. “Had a Coast Guard crew or good Samaritans not been
in the immediate area when these people jumped into the water, this case may
have had a different ending,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Ely, coxswain
on the Coast Guard 25-foot response boat.
The Coast Guard also reminds boaters to be sure their
vessels are in proper working condition before getting underway. One way is to
obtain a free vessel safety check from the Coast Guard Auxiliary.