After James Logan pumped 25 gallons of gas into his 35-foot cabin cruiser The Unbearables at the Marina City marina on October 9, 1965, he could not get the boat started. He used a 110-volt charger to turn over the engine and that is when the boat exploded.

Sparks from the charger ignited lingering gas fumes. Logan and his two passengers, Sue Kauffman and Mary Fully, jumped into the river but only after they had been burned – Logan on his hands, face, and head, the two women on their legs. They were taken to Wesley Memorial Hospital (now Northwestern Memorial Hospital).

The explosion also injured David Adler, who was in a boat next to The Unbearables. He was struck by flying glass. He said there was a powerful explosion in the engine compartment of Logan’s boat. He saw the sides of the boat disintegrate and the roof of the cabin lift into the air. He threw rescue lines to the three people in the water, then pushed the burning boat further out into the river.

While extinguishing the fire, which destroyed the entire top portion of the boat, two fire fighters were injured when a fire hose broke. Fireman Carl Liss suffered neck injuries. Lieutenant Ado Warren suffered injuries to his wrist and hand. Damage to the boat was estimated at $10,000 (equal to $75,000 in 2014).

(Photo) Ado Warren (left) is briefed on the features of a new fire truck in 1962.

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Updated 07-Dec-14

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