A sailboat burned on Dorchester Bay. A man and his son were working on the motor of the 15-foot sailboat when there was an explosion, according to Fire Department officials.
(John Blanding/Globe Staff)
Boat fire sends father, son to hospital
A sailboat burned on Dorchester Bay. A man and his son were working on the motor of the 15-foot sailboat when there was an explosion, according to Fire Department officials.
(John Blanding/Globe Staff)
A father and his teenage son were taken to the hospital yesterday evening after their sailboat burst into flames on Dorchester Bay.
The man, 58, suffered burns on his arms and hands, and his son, whose age was unknown, was taken for a check-up, though he did not appear to be injured, said Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald. Fire officials did not release the names of the victims.
The Boston Fire Department received the call at about 5:10 p.m., and the fire was fully extinguished about an hour later, officials said.
The man and his son were working on the motor of a sailboat that was tied up in the bay when there was an explosion, according to fire officials. A small motorboat from the Savin Hill Yacht Club went out to rescue the father and son and bring them to shore, where Boston Emergency Medical Services then transported them to the hospital, said fire officials.
The sailboat was entirely engulfed in flames about 200 yards from the shore at about 5:20 p.m., with a dark cloud of smoke rising hundreds of feet into the sky and drifting over Morrissey Boulevard. A Fire Department boat extinguished the flames.
Joseph Doolin of South Boston said he was tending to his own boat in the bay when he saw the explosion. A piece from the engine at the back of the boat soared into the air about 100 feet after the explosion, he said.
“The fire didn’t start until a minute later, and the whole thing went up in flames,’’ Doolin said. “They were on the boat while it was in . . . flames, I don’t know if they jumped in the water or not.’’
The cause of the fire was under investigation last night, fire officials said.
About seven Boston fire trucks responded to the scene, along with Boston police, State Police, and Boston EMS.
Taylor Miles can be reached at tmiles@gmail.com. 
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