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'I Ran To That Boat': Good Samaritan Helps Rescue Group After Huntington Beach Boat Explosion

HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA) -- Six people were on board during a boat explosion in Huntington Beach on Sunday afternoon.

Three adults and two children suffered minor to severe burns, a witness told CBS2/KCAL9. One person escaped unharmed.

The explosion was heard just before 1 p.m., and luckily someone nearby jumped into action quickly to help the victims.

Trent mcwhinney
Boater, Trent Mcwhinney, on a boat following the rescue of two children and four adults who were injured in an explosion on November 1, 2020, in Huntington Beach. (Photo: CBS)

"It went off like a bomb. It went off right behind us while we were sitting there," boater Trent Mcwhinney said. "The first thing I did was grab the fire extinguisher... I got my inflatable and I ran to that boat. I don't care about the boat, I care about the people in the boat."

Following the explosion, authorities said the passengers jumped off the boat and were picked up by Mcwhinney who drove them to the fire station.

Mcwhinney said it appears the boat's gas vapors had exploded.

Harbor Patrol has taken over the investigation into exactly what caused the explosion.

The names of the victims have not yet been released.

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