Boat explodes on Rose Lake

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and Shoshone Fire and Rescue responded to the report of a boat fire. When fire personnel arrived, the boat was fully engulfed, but due to its location, they were unable to address the fire.

Marine units from Coeur d’Alene responded to the scene; however, the boat burned to the water line. It was towed in by another vessel and the fire was extinguished.

There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but preliminary indications show the fire started in the engine compartment, possibly due to a buildup of gas fumes.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind all boaters to make sure their engine compartment is properly ventilated prior to attempting to start the engine. It is recommend that a ventilation system run for at least four minutes prior to starting the boat. It is also important to make sure the backfire flame arrester is properly cleaned prior to operating the vessel.