PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
Three people onboard a burning boat jumped into the water to escape the flames at Hayden Island Friday afternoon.
Occupants finished filling the 18' SeaSwirl boat with fuel at the dock, and upon turning the engine over a big explosion launched the engine compartment 20 to 30 feet.
The people who jumped into the water all made it onto a dock uninjured as the boat drifted off fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters doused the flames and pulled the boat out of the water before it could sink.
Fire crews say it is an accidental incident caused by a fuel leak and urge boat owners to do regular maintenance checks.
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