VA- The Aug. 8 boat explosion at Bay Point Marina on Pretty Lake Avenue was an accident caused by propane gas buildup in the cabin of the boat, investigators with Norfolk Fire-Rescue have concluded.
The blast destroyed a 42-foot sailboat and sent debris flying 40 feet into the air, seriously injuring a man.
The boat was being prepared for the installation of a new motor, the department said. A hose supplying gas for cooking either leaked or accidently was cut, investigators concluded. Investigators have not determined what ignited the gas.
Fire investigators have still not been able to speak with the injured man because of his ongoing medical treatment. His identity has not been released. Battalion Chief Bruce Evans said federal privacy law prevents him from discussing the man’s condition. The man was not the owner of the boat, he said, but was working on it.
Witnesses and debris from the blast corroborate the department’s findings, Evans said.