ELKHORN — One man is dead and two others were injured Friday when authorities say the barge they were on while installing piers exploded.
The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center received a 911 call about 12:30 p.m. Friday that a boat had exploded on Lauderdale Lake in the Town of LaGrange.
Emergency responders were sent to the area and deputies located a pontoon type barge on the shoreline off of Stewart Drive with significant damage.
Three men were located and medical first aid was administered by both deputies and fire/rescue personnel, according to a news release from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.
One man was pronounced dead at the scene by the Walworth County Medical Examiner’s Office, another was transported to a local trauma center with severe injuries and a third was treated and released.
The Walworth County Hazardous Materials Unit assisted with fuel spillage.
The three men worked for a local pier service and were in the process of installing a pier when the explosion occurred.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Walworth County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Assisting agencies include the Lauderdale LaGrange Fire and Rescue Department, Elkhorn Area Fire Department EMS Division, Walworth County Hazardous Materials Unit, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Walworth County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The names of the victims are not being released at this time. More information may be released as the investigation continues.
