PATIENT CONDITION UPDATE FROM ESSENTIA HEALTH DULUTH:
As of late Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for Essentia Health Hospitals in Duluth says all five men burned in an ice house explosion on Sunday, remain in the same condition.
Rod Bolstad and his son Joel remains in fair condition. Another son, Jacob is in serious condition.
Two family friends, Al Stokke remains in fair condition and Willy Huotari remains in critical condition.
ORIGINAL STORY:
An apparent propane explosion badly burned five men on the shore of Lake of the Woods at Zippel Bay Sunday morning. It's just north of Williams, Minnesota.
The names of the victims are Rod Bolstad of Hillsboro, along with his 2 sons, Jake and Joel Bolstad. The two other victims are Al Stokke and Willy Huotari. All five men are now at hospitals in Duluth.
The men had stayed overnight in this privately owned camper-ice fishing house.
Sheriff, Gary Fish says the furnace apparently exploded at eight Sunday morning. The camper is still intact, except the windows were blown out. Fish says the flash fire blackened the camper inside.
Nick Panovich was there as the men were transported to Baudette by ambulance.
Nick Panovich, Lake of the Woods: "Well, they were sleeping I understand and several of them got burned."
Reporter: "Were they able to walk out or were they lifted into an ambulance?"
Panovich: "Well they were all put into the ambulance, some were walking and some were in quite a bit of pain."
All five men were initially taken to the Baudette hospital and then airlifted to a Duluth burn center.
Lake of the Woods County Sheriff, Gary Fish says a State Fire Marshal is expected to release the cause of the fire on Wednesday.
*Photo courtesy: Northern Light Newspaper
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