Big bang dumps man from boat into lake

A dramatic boat fire which destroyed bush at Lake Rotoiti should be a reminder to boaties about the importance of taking care when handling fuel, harbour officials say.

A Te Puke man, the sole occupant of the boat, was blown into the water at Ngongoahi Bay, east of Honeymoon Bay, on Saturday when fuel vapours ignited on his boat about 3pm.

The man, who received minor burns in the explosion, was rescued from the water by a friend whose vessel he rafted his boat to shortly after pulling up next to the beach.

The burning boat, which was carrying about four gas cylinders, was set adrift in the bay.

Despite settled conditions on the lake, the 7.3m boat managed to drift close to bush and set it alight.

Coastguard and harbourmaster officials transported fire officers from Kawerau and Rotorua and members of the West Rotoiti Volunteer Fire Brigade across the lake, leaving from Gisborne Point and an area known as The Delta, near the Ohau Channel.

Rotorua harbourmaster Andrew Lang said the fire took about an hour to extinguish. However, the wooden boat was destroyed.

Inquiries revealed the man had been filling his boat's tank with fuel shortly before the accident.

It was likely a refrigerator's pilot light on board the boat had ignited vapours, causing the explosion.

Mr Lang said the incident was a dramatic reminder for boaties to be extra vigilant around fuel.

"It is amazing no one was killed or seriously injured," he said. "There were about 200 people in the bay at the time and it would have brought safety issues to the forefront of everyone's mind ... It was a big bang and it could have had devastating results."

"Boaties need to be vigilant when dealing with fuel."

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)