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Fiery explosion on Lake Blackshear

By  Stephanie Springer  - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - There was danger on the waters this Labor Day. While many folks enjoyed a relaxing day on the water a holiday boating trip turned ugly for one man.

His boat ended up bursting into flames while he was on it.

Clint Johnson and his cousin Hunter were looking forward to spending a relaxing labor day with friends on the lake.

They were planning on going water skiing using Clint's 19 foot ski boat on the waters of Lake Blackshear. But when Clint went to crank up the engine something went terribly wrong .

"I was standing at the corner about to get on and I heard a click and then it exploded and he was flying into the water and all from there you could just see flames starting to come up and fire starting to come up," said Hunter Faulk.

"When it first happened it kind of threw me out of the boat I didn't know what happened until I came out of the water and I looked at the boat and flames coming out of the motor," said Clint.

The fire started at the boats console and spread quickly, moving towards the engine.

"It stopped up against somebody's dock and the fire department pulled down their driveway and started shooting it with water they got the front of it out of fire so that's when me and my cousin Chase hoped on my jet ski," said Clint.

Dozens watched as the boys towed the flaming boat down the lake with their jet skis before tying it to an isolated patch of rocks.

"By the time we got it over there it was still on fire, most of it was out right now its half way underwater you cant even tell it was a boat," said Clint.

Although the experience was unforgettable, the boys didn't let it ruin their labor day.

"I thought it would be a bad day after that but when I look back it was really exciting really interesting not everyday something happens like that especially on a day like labor day," said Hunter.

Thankfully Clint wasn't injured during the explosion. The fire singed his hair but other than that he was okay. Now he will be helping neighbors repair burned areas on their docks from the fire.

Clint says he was also told by the DNR that it was his responsibility to get that boat out of the water.

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