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Brainerd firefighters respond to pontoon blaze caused by fireworks

The 911 caller reported the burning boat was floating about 50 feet from shore along the southern edge of White Sand Lake at Fairview Road and fireworks were still exploding.

Pontoon on fire in a lake
A pontoon fire is ablaze close to shore Sunday, July 3, 2022, on White Sand Lake in Baxter. The fire was apparently caused by someone on the boat setting off fireworks, according to authorities at the scene.
Tim Speier / Brainerd Dispatch

BAXTER — Flames engulfed a pontoon Sunday night, July 3, after it apparently caught fire while someone shot fireworks from the boat on White Sand Lake in Baxter.

The Brainerd Fire Department received the call about the pontoon fire shortly before 10:30 p.m. The 911 caller reported the burning boat was floating about 50 feet from shore along the southern edge of the lake at Fairview Road and fireworks were still exploding.

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Authorities at the scene reported at least one person was on the boat at the time it caught fire and they managed to make it to shore. Whether the incident resulted in injuries was unknown late Sunday night.

As firefighters used the spray of a fire hose to extinguish the flames, the pressure of the water pushed the boat farther from shore. Authorities worked to launch an inflatable craft to assist in the fire response.

This is a developing story. Check back at BrainerdDispatch.com for more information.

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