Chief Allan hurt in watercraft accident

The chairman of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe was injured in a watercraft accident on Thursday.

According to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, Chief James Allan of Worley had finished fueling his Kawasaki personal watercraft at Blackrock Marina in Rockford Bay about 5 p.m. He started it and upon depressing the throttle, the PWC exploded, throwing him into the water.

His daughter, who was on another PWC, went into the water to assist him until emergency personnel arrived, a press release said.

Allan was transported for Kootenai Health for non-life threatening injuries, the release said.

KCSO's dive team, Coeur d’ Alene Tribal Police, and the Worley Fire Department responded to the accident.

The KCSO said it would like to remind PWC operators to ventilate the engine compartment by removing the seat for at least four minutes prior to starting it.

"This allows fumes to dissipate from the hull of the watercraft, and prevents combustion," the release said.