Father, son injured in boat blaze

DANIA BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida man continues to recover from severe burns at Jackson Memorial Hospital after his boat, which was also carrying his son, burst into flames at a local marina.

Investigators said they were pumping gas at the fuel dock marina on Northeast Eighth Avenue and Third Street when the fire ignited.

The dock master, who assisted them, said he witnessed the entire incident. "I was helping the guy out," said Mathew Campbell. "He was just fueling then out of no where the boat just bursts into flames and he was on fire. Him and his son were on the boat, and jumped into the water, luckily they jumped in and were able to put themselves out."

Emergency crews initially transported the father to Memorial Regional Hospital in critical condition, but he was then airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's burn unit. The son was hospitalized with minor burns at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood. "The father was pretty burned up, the son, he was OK, he was just in shock for his dad," said Campbell.

The fire caused chaos on the dock as several people immediately responded. "We hit it with the fire hose and just tried to put it out as fast as we could put it out," said Skeeter Wilkes.

The charred 19-foot boat reminded people of just how dangerous fuel docks can be. "This is the second fire on this dock," said Campbell. "On a fuel dock, you know, it's scary and with a full tank of gas in there that boat can blow any minute. You don't know what can happen."

Firefighters and the Broward Sheriff's Office deputies are still investigating the blaze.

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