(WWJ) – A man and a woman are recovering from severe burns after their off-road vehicle rolled over and burst into flames Sunday afternoon in Gladwin County.
A 22-year-old man from Saginaw County and a 23-year-old Midland County woman were in a 2020 Can-Am X3 side-by-side when the man drove it over a small dirt hill and lost control, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The ORV landed on its nose, flipped, overturned and caught fire, witnesses told authorities.
Both riders suffered severe burns in the incident and were airlifted to Hurley Medical Center in Flint. They were both said to be in stable condition on Monday. Neither rider’s name has been released, pending an investigation.
The DNR says the crash happened on state-managed land and a conservation officer was the first to arrive on-scene. The department is still investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The victims had gathered near the Gladwin County trailhead to ride with a group of friends on Sunday, the DNR said.
The man was able to crawl away from the ORV, but the woman was stuck in the safety harness, and she had to be removed by others at the scene.
Another unidentified man, who assisted with the incident, was transported to University of Michigan Medical Center in West Branch, before he was also sent to Hurley Medical Center for burns sustained while removing the woman from the ORV.
Both people in the ORV were wearing safety harnesses. Helmets are not required on this type of ORV and were not worn by either of the injured riders.
DNR conservation officers are reminding ORV riders to operate at a safe speed within their abilities and to allow for snow, rain or other factors affecting riding conditions. Learn more about ORV safety through the DNR’s Ride Right safety campaign.
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