Emergency vehicles leave the scene of a boat explosion near Calvert City, Ky. Friday, Jan. 19, 2018. Work was being done on the vessel and dozens of people were either aboard the boat or at the site when the blast occurred shortly after 9 a.m. CST State Police Detective Jody Cash said. (Dave Thompson /The Paducah Sun via AP)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:33 AM PT – Sat. January 20, 2017
Three people are dead and six are injured as a result of a boat explosion in Kentucky.
The blast happened Friday morning in Calvert City on a tugboat, as it was being worked on, but it is not immediately known what type of work was underway.
According to reports, there were workers from four companies on board when the blast occurred and a preliminary investigation indicates 41 people were present, but not all were inside of the boat at the time of the explosion.
Officials said the injuries range from non-life threatening to life-threatening, and there was no foul play involved in the accident.
Two victims were airlifted and three victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Autopsies were scheduled for the victims.
“This right here, you don’t even realize it’s cold until you start doing the cleanup or the mop up whatever you want to call it,” said Assistant Chief Tim David of Calvert City Fire Department. “We will have a debriefing, see if anyone does need help. we did have Chaplains on the scene to help us. We kind of take care of each other with Christ’s help.”
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul later commented on the disaster, saying he and his wife are saddened about the explosion, and their thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.
