This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A woman was killed and four other people critically injured during an explosion on house boat on southern Utah's Lake Powell late Wednesday night.
San Juan Sheriff Rick Eldredge said the blast occurred about 10 p.m. in Crystal Springs Canyon portion of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which straddles the Utah-Arizona border.
The explosion came as the victims were attempting to start the house boat's generator.
Killed was 52-year-old Kirsten Meyer, of Castle Rock, Colorado.
Four other people suffered critical injuries — including burns, broken bones, and facial injuries — and were transported by air to Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, Colo., according to a joint news release from the San Juan County Sheriff's Office and the National Park Service. Three helicopters and an airplane were provided by Classic Aviation, officials said.
A male juvenile who suffered minor injuries was transported by vessel to the Bullfrog Clinic for treatment and was released.
There were 20 other people believed to have been on the boat at the time of the blast, the cause of which was under investigation.
The privately owned houseboat was anchored on shore in Crystal Springs Canyon, which is two canyons north of Halls Crossing, near buoy marker 104, in San Juan County, Utah, the news release said.
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