An ice fishing trip didn't go according to plan. A father and two children were severely burned when their ice shanty went ablaze. It's all due to the hidden danger of methane gas under the ice.
The three were ice fishing at the beginning of February on the Harriman Reservoir in southern Vermont. That's when their ice shelter caught fire. Joel Shepard and his daughters, Kaylee and Emmaleigh, suffered burns in the process. Fishing guide Logan Boyd came across the scene while driving across the ice.
"I could see a heat signature coming off of it like off a grill or blacktop, maybe 15 or 20 feet in the air, a really intense heat. I was thinking they must have a crazy wood stove going in there. And then we saw a big plume of smoke and realized it was the tent," he told MeatEater. "As that happened, the dad and the girls came running out from the back of the tent. And their hats were melted down to their hair, their gloves and everything was melted off of them."
Boyd managed to help the three, offering them a ride on his four-wheeler. From there, the father drove his two daughters to the hospital. The three suffered severe burns on their face and hands.
Ice Fishing Gone Wrong
"They didn't seem super burned at first, but I've never seen anything like that. White lips, and all the hair just, gone," Boyd continued. He believes methane played a role in the fire, noting that he observed a "knee-high geyser" shoot up earlier in the week.
The Wilmington Police Department reported previous injuries during ice fishing seasons from methane gas.
"These incidents were reportedly witnessed over the last several years during the ice fishing seasons," they said. But no one reported them. However, police seem to believe that the fire was caused by a "faulty propane cylinder" instead. However, they said it wasn't possible to determine the cause.
Fortunately for the trio ice fishing, they are making a great recovery.
"Appointment update on the toasters! They did great today. The doctors see so much progress and healing," she said in a Facebook post. "Their face swelling has gone down almost completely and now the burns are beginning to peel off. Emmy is not a fan of the peeling especially on her lips, but Kaylee's face is coming back just as beautiful as ever. I am so proud of these girls and how they've handled this week."
