The explosion happened on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal around 4 p.m. on Saturday, right after the 32-foot-long boat had fueled up at a restaurant and marina in Chesapeake City, Maryland. It was still tied to a dock at the time of the blast.
Four people were airlifted with serious burns and five others were taken via ambulance to nearby hospitals.
Authorities say seven people were on the boat at the time of the explosion. The two others injured were on a nearby dock.
The explosion brought a massive response from more than half a dozen fire companies.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
It was one of at least three boating accidents in the United States around the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
(photo credit: Bo Shen/Getty Images)
