Yellowknife (Jun 14/06) - A weekend explosion at Long Lake sent five people to Stanton Territorial hospital and destroyed the motorboat they were attempting to start.

"Initially when we got the call at 9 p.m. (Saturday) it was a request for ambulances for burn victims," said acting fire Chief Darcy Hernblad.

"Four were in the boat another was outside the boat pushing it out into the water further (when the explosion happened)."

After medics arrived, crews from the Yellowknife Fire Department were summoned as the boat was, "fully engulfed in flames."

"It looked like a 16-foot fibreglass boat with an inboard motor and it was a write-off," added Hernblad, who was at the scene.

"From the preliminary investigation it sounds like they were having a hard time getting the boat going, so there may have been flooding in the engine," said Hernblad. "But it's still under investigation."

A spokesperson from the hospital said all five were treated and released from hospital Saturday.