Nearly a week after a boat exploded at Haulover Beach, several survivors are now taking legal action.
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On May 9, 11 people who were celebrating a birthday on a boat were taken to the hospital after the blast near the Haulover Sandbar. According to a family member of one of the victims, five of them remain hospitalized as of Friday.
Adriana Torres suffered second-degree burns to her legs, back, and torso — and remains in the ICU.
Her son, Adrian Torres, told NBC6 she said the explosion happened after someone tried to light candles on a birthday cake. He said his mother stayed on the boat even as others jumped into the water.
“She just stayed on the boat and grabbed a bunch of water and threw it on herself,” Adrian Torres said.
Ruth Gutierrez, who is recovering at home, said she remembers the smell of gas on board and jumped into the water, saying she’d rather drown than burn.
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Jim Scott returned to the hospital to check on his wife, Paola, who he said has burns on over 50% of her body.
Some of the victims are now turning to personal injury law firm Morgan & Morgan for legal help.
“Morgan & Morgan is examining all possible causes of this explosion, including product failures, refueling errors, and issues with the fuel system that could have caused the accumulation of fuel vapors in the hull,” the firm said in a statement.
The attorneys said they believe the explosion was preventable and plan to hold any responsible parties accountable.
NBC6 could not find any information about the boat captain’s license, and officials have not confirmed whether he was licensed to operate the boat.
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The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.