Toms River Man Burned In Boat Explosion At Brick Marina Expected To Recover

The Toms River man who was seriously burned Monday in a boat explosion at a Brick Township marina on Monday is expected to recover from his injuries, according to a news release from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kevin McDermitt, 39, suffered burns to his head, arms and hands in the explosion at Lightning Jack’s Marina on Route 70 about 2:30 p.m. Monday, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

McDermitt -- who was walking around when Brick Township police and firefighters responded to the report of the explosion -- told Arson Investigator Mitch Remig of the prosecutor’s office that the explosion occurred while he was working on a boat that was dry-docked in a garage at the marina, Della Fave said.

McDermitt told Detective Remig that he was using a heat gun to fix a transducer under the deck of the vessel in the stern area. As he went to turn on an electric heat gun, he smelled gasoline and the explosion occurred, Della Fave said.

It was noted that not all of the hatches were open on the vessel when the work was being done, he said.

The vapors were determined to originate from under the deck in the stern area. The cause of the accidental vapor explosion was from the use of the electric heat gun.

McDermitt, who was flown to St. Barnabas Burn Center, Livingston, for treatment, is expected to recover from his burns, Della Fave said.