SML emergency crews respond to personal watercraft explosion
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va. (WSET) -- Smith Mountain Lake Marine emergency crews responded to a personal watercraft explosion which ejected a 54-year-old woman into the lake resulting in injuries Tuesday.
Crews responded just after 11:00 a.m. and arrived within minutes near marker R26, according to Tom Lovegrove, President of Smith Mountain Lake Marine volunteer fire rescue.
Officials say the woman was ejected from the personal watercraft and brought to the lake's State Park with injuries serious enough to be airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, but officials say her injuries were non life-threatening.
They say parts of parking lots and docks had to be cleared to bring the victim onto land to be flown out.
"There was like three fire boats that went up and down, and two of them went straight to the state park and a little bit later the helicopter landed and took off about 10 minutes later," said lake resident, Bill Miller.
Fire officials are crediting the response of emergency crews to saving the victim's life.
"We have been extremely fortunate that between boat explosions and near drownings and other incidents there's not been fatalities. I attribute many of these saves to the effort of our county public safety systems and personnel along with Volunteers and the first responders training that we have received." said Lovegrove.
Bedford County Fire Marshal's Office and Department of Game and Inland Fisheries conservation police are investigating what caused the fire.
