Authorities have identified the 39-year-old Toms River man seriously injured in a marina explosion in Brick Township.
On Monday at approximately 2:33 p.m., the Brick Township Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to Lightning Jack’s Marina for a boat explosion with an injured victim.
Upon their arrival, a male subject was walking around on scene with burns to his head, arms and hands.
Arrangements were immediately made to have the victim transported to Saint Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston by medical helicopter.
OCPO Arson Investigator Mitch Remig quickly responded to the scene and was able to interview the victim prior to his departure to the hospital.
The victim, Kevin McDermitt, 39, of Toms River stated he was working on the vessel that was dry-docked in a garage at the marina. Det. Remig found that McDermitt 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 detected the odor of gasoline and suddenly an explosion occurred.
It was noted that not all of the hatches were open on the vessel when the work was being done. 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’s injuries, fortunately, are not life threatening and he is expected to recover from his burns.