Two people were injured Wednesday afternoon during an apparent boat explosion at the Home Port Marina in Dunedin.
According to Palm Harbor Fire Rescue, a fire erupted on a 21-foot Sea Ray boat moments after passengers had filled the boat with 50 gallons of fuel.
The boat drifted away from the dock and stalled. The owner restarted the boat a second time, and a resulting explosion knocked a passenger who was sitting on the engine compartment off his feet and onto the boat.
Investigators say the boat caught fire and the flames were quickly spreading as the wind picked up.
Both men quickly jumped off the boat to safety while a witness called 911. They sustained injuries described as not life-threatening.
By the time firefighters arrived, the boat was engulfed in flames, and the wind had pushed the boat away from the dock and against the ramp.
Within minutes, firefighters were able to use a foam substance to blanket the fire and deplete the oxygen to bring the flames under control with no damage to the dock.
Crews put booms in the water to collect about 50 gallons of fuel that spilled into Smith Bayou.