PWC Bursts Into Flames

A personal watercraft burst into flames
Thursday afternoon at Lakeside County Park on Soda Bay Road south of Lakeport, California.
The cause is still under investigation, according to Kelseyville Fire Protection
District Engineer Scott Crawford. The '80s-model SX Kawasaki watercraft's fuel cap
was missing, and a rubber band held a plastic zip bag over the opening. The fire
started when the rider turned the ignition.

A little-known fact is that The Three Stooges were among America’s first PWC enthusiasts. They are pictured here in a 1930s vintage Duzelburg XZFS2#@*4-HO – one of the first to have an optional hardtop.

Kelseyville resident Gerardo Martinez-Rico said he was test-driving the Kawasaki.
He said he had just purchased it from Mike Vonka, who was not at the scene for questioning.



No one was injured.



Three Lake County Sheriff's Office Boat Patrol units and a Kelseyville fire engine
responded at approximately 3:30 PM, when a call came in reporting a boat on fire.



Boat Patrol Sgt. Dennis Ostini said "a couple gallons" of gasoline leaked into the
lake before responders removed the tank and put it on the shore.



Pointing at the plastic bag covering the tank's opening, Ostini said, "That will
cause fires. You need a regular gas cap. That will react with petroleum."



Crawford said with a missing fuel tank cap, "Fuel vapors can get into the engine
box and ignite a spark, and that's most likely what happened."



The watercraft's front engine compartment cover was also missing. Responders speculated
it had burned in the fire, which charred the back end.