Explosion Results in One Death, Injures Another
August 4, 2005
On Thursday, August 4, 2005 at 2:29PM the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office received an emergency call that there had been an explosion at Yacht Port Beach, located off Lakeshore Drive next to Lakefront Marina in Erie Township. Further information indicated that at least two persons were hurt. Ottawa County Sheriffs Deputies and the Erie Township Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. Before emergency responders arrived dispatchers learned that one injured person had been in the water, and that CPR was being performed on that person. Another person was to have serious injuries. A Life Flight helicopter was also dispatched to the scene.
Chief Deputy Riedmaier and Detective Joe Vidal from the Sheriffs Office were the first emergency responders to arrive at the scene. We found both victims inside a floating boathouse located in front of 1911 Yacht Port Beach Drive. Both victims were on a dock inside the boathouse. Bystanders were performing CPR on one victim and the other was found to have a severe laceration to his leg. CPR was continued on the first victim until Life Flight arrived. Once the first victim was examined he was pronounced deceased by the Life Flight physician. The second victim, with the leg injury, was transported to the Medical University of Ohio by the Life Flight helicopter.
The investigation showed that both men, and others, were attempting to raise one corner of the boathouse that had begun to sink below the waterline. The boathouse is constructed with a steel frame and sides but has floatation material under the docks that supports the entire structure. The men were using large pieces of plastic pipe under the sunken corner of the structure. The pipe they were handling at the time of the explosion was 13 feet long and 12 inches in diameter. There were caps on each end and air hoses attached to the caps. The hoses were then attached to an air compressor that was inside the boathouse. During the investigation deputies saw that there was 80 pounds of air pressure in the compressor tank, but it is believed the men may have been attempting to put even a higher amount into the pipe. The men discovered that the pipe began leaking air and were attempting to remove it from the water. As they were doing so there was an explosion caused by one of the end caps coming off.
Deceased: William J. Shank, age 66
701 N. Main Street, Walbridge, Ohio
* Body taken to the Lucas County Coroners Office for an autopsy.
Injured: Joe A Silas, age 64
24 W Oakland, Toledo, Ohio
On Scene: Ottawa County Sheriffs Office
Erie Township Fire and EMS
Ottawa County Underwater Recovery Team
Ottawa County Coroner, Dr. Jerome McTague
The case remains under investigation by the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office.
Pipe Inspected by Deputies
Boathouse
Posted August 4, 2005