Boat Exploded near Ocean Isle, NC

[kelemvor]

I wondered if it was a rented boat and they just didn't know procedures, disconnecting spark-causing lines first etc. So here are two images of what they could have looked like:

Wow those are indeed extremely similar. I'm surprised USCG doesn't require some brightly colored labels to be maintained around the gasshole. I guess it must not result in an injury or accident often enough or I'm sure they would have done something.

 

[RayfromTX]

I can see two people involved in filling creating easy confusion. One guy opens the tank while the other runs his card, The second guy then grabs the hose and shoves it in the obvious opening and gets it started and moves on to another activity while the filling happens. Not hard to imagine at all. Gasoline is just a normal thing to deal with until it isn't. 3 seconds later all the hindsight in the world is less important than the future medical treatment that is the new reality.