Photo: U.S. Coast Guard
GLOUCESTER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two men were taken to the hospital after a boat caught on fire and exploded in Gloucester Harbor Monday.
The explosion happened just before 9 a.m. near the Blynman Bridge, where the Annisquam River meets the harbor. The Coast Guard said the two men on the boat and their dog were able to jump off the boat and swim to shore safely. They did not sustain any burns or significant injuries but were still taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
An eyewitness told WBZ's Drew Moholland he saw a 22-foot boat explode and catch fire just after passing through the cut bridge before floating back under the bridge into the river.
"There's an iron ladder where they were able to climb up the wall with their cuts and bruises," he said. "Luckily there wasn't any shrapnel, but they did have a few scratches."
A Gloucester Police boat responded to the scene and started to attack the flames. Gloucester fire officials said the harbormaster towed the vehicle back to shore, where the fire department was able to put out the blaze. Gloucester Police Chief Ed Conley tweeted photos of the incident showing the boat engulfed in flames.
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Gloucester Fire said the cause of the fire and explosion is still under investigation. The Blynman Bridge was closed briefly during the response but has since reopened.
The Coast Guard said they did not observe any pollution in the water because of the fire and explosion, but they will continue to closely monitor the area to make sure that environmental impacts are addressed.
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