Boat explodes in Royal Harbour community

NAPLES, Fla.- A boat explosion shook an entire neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.

It happened on Snook Drive in the Royal Harbour community.

Video shot from across the canal shows the boat engulfed in flames.

“Right away jumped, ran over and asked the people if they were alright, first of all, and saw the boat was on fire and ran back to our house and grabbed a couple of small fire extinguishers and got to the scene. It was just too big of a fire to put out with two fire extinguishers,” said Ron Pfeiffer.

That’s when Pfeiffer called 911.

“The hatch cover had blown off the boat and was resting on top and there was fire all below, and if we opened the hatch cover, I was afraid it would feed the air and go up a lot. The woman, she was hit in the back of the head with a cushion from the explosion, that much power.”

Sea Tow removed the boat from the dock.

The fire is under investigations but firefighters believe it was sparked by gas fumes.

The flames were so high, they charred nearby palm trees.

WINK News spoke with the owner of the boat off camera, he says they are shaken up but are doing okay.