Fuel seal focus of investigation into sheriff's boat explosion

A leak in a fuel sensor seal appears to be to blame for Tuesday's explosion aboard a McHenry County Sheriff's patrol boat, an official said Wednesday.

The explosion seriously injured a 42-year-old mechanic working on the boat at the time, leaving him hospitalized with facial burns and head and leg injuries, police said. His condition was not immediately available Wednesday afternoon.

Although an inquiry remains ongoing, investigators are focusing on a fuel line and sensor that had been replaced over the winter when the boat received a new engine, said Joe Marvin, commander of the sheriff's Marine Unit.

"It appears there was a leak in the seal for a sensor in the gas tank," he said.

Inspectors were examining two other boats in the sheriff's six-boat fleet that also had undergone engine replacements during the off-season, Marvin said.

The explosion occurred about 1:39 p.m. Tuesday after sheriff's deputies patrolling the Fox River smelled a strong odor of gasoline on the boat and drove it to D's Marine Service in McHenry for an inspection.

A mechanic was on board about five to 10 minutes later when the boat suddenly exploded. He was flown by Flight for Life helicopter to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

The two deputies that had been on patrol in the boat were about five to eight feet away when the explosion occurred, but were not injured, Marvin said.

It is not clear yet whether the boat is salvageable.

"It certainly sustained considerable damage," Marvin said.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=293190">One injured when McHenry Co. sheriff's patrol boat explodes <span class="date">[05/12/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>