Boat explosion injures boaters, game wardens at Lake Mead

By Kristen DeSilva

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    LAS VEGAS (KVVU) — A boat explosion at Lake Mead National Recreation Area sent five people to the hospital on Saturday.

About 2:30 p.m. on July 10, a 30-foot boat pushed away from the boat launch exploded at the Las Vegas Boat Harbor & Lake Mead Marino, officials said.

Three Nevada Dept. of Wildlife game wardens and two trainees helped aid the two boaters and the first warden on scene pushed the vessel away from the boaters.

One of the boaters was life-flighted to a nearby trauma center while the other was taken by ambulance.

Two game wardens and one trainee were also hospitalized for smoke inhalation and other injuries. They were treated and released and are now at home recovering, according to Doug Nielsen, conservation education supervisor of NDOW.

“This was a cabin-style boat with an inboard-outboard motor, which means that the motor was enclosed,” said Nielsen. “We don’t know exactly what happened here, but every year before a boater goes on the water, they should check all their electrical connections, they should check their fuel components.”

No other property was damaged, a representative from the NPS said, and the boat was removed from the location.

“Incidents such as these are incredibly tragic,” said NDOW Lieutenant Chris Walther in a media release. “Thankfully, our game wardens were on scene quickly and were able to provide life-saving aid.”

Fueling services have since resumed.

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