‘Big old fireball': Owner of houseboat that erupted in flames speaks out
A St. Augustine man is talking only to Action News Jax after he lost his houseboat in a massive fire along Trout Creek.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Action News Jax Shanila Kabir spoke to the boat's owner and his family who believe the fire was caused by charging an E-Bike.
The boater, Teddy Cline said he lived in that boat in St. Johns County for only a year before that fire destroyed the entire vessel. He said the fire was blocking the front door, so he had to jump out of a window, hop onto one of his smaller boats, and paddle towards shore.
'I had to paddle away from it because it began crackling and popping and then the whole boat exploded. I saw the top of it fly off,' said Teddy Cline.
Cline said he had just brought his E-Bike battery on board around 9 PM Friday night to charge it. Within minutes, the battery began to fizzle.
'I tried to pat it down and put it down at first. That's when it exploded. It was like a big old fireball.'
The Cline family said the fire swallowed the entire boat within 45 minutes. Teddy adds it was not a hot day on Friday, so he believes the battery just happened to fail that day, possibly due to the heat.
'You always hear about them batteries exploding and this one did. It got me pretty good on my neck.'
St. Johns County Fire Rescue has, issued several warnings about the dangers of lithium batteries in E-Bikes and the fire hazards they can present if not charged correctly. The department recommends all users to store and charge E-Bikes safely- away from heat and to never leave them charging for too long.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Omaha mayor doesn't ‘know why' city was targeted in ICE raid
OMAHA, Neb. (NewsNation) — Omaha's newly inaugurated mayor says he 'doesn't know' why the city was targeted by federal immigration officials which resulted in the arrests of more than 100 people. Mayor John Ewing Jr., a Democrat who was sworn into office on Monday, said his team is still working to get more details on the status of those arrested in Nebraska's largest workplace operation under President Trump. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer told reporters Wednesday that his department did not assist federal agents in the raid. He said Omaha Police officers seen at the site of the raid were there to provide traffic control. He expressed concern that undocumented residents would not report crime if they're concerned that local police are acting as immigration enforcement. 'We weren't part of the aiding function of this. As far as planning of the raid, as far as knowledge of the operation, anything of that nature … the Omaha Police Department did not have a role in that,' said Schmaderer. 'I can assure the public that the Omaha Police Department will not be involved in checking immigration status in our community. I need (crime) victims to come forward. They will not come forward if they're fearful of the Omaha Police Department being immigration officers.' Ewing called on Congress to develop a 'comprehensive immigration policy.' 'Right now, what is happening across the country is a lot of fear is being created,' he said. 'We don't have an understandable approach to immigration, especially when it comes to our Latino members of this country.' Out of the 107 people who were targeted in the raid, 70 were detained after ICE determined their status. The raid happened around 9 a.m. at Glenn Valley Foods in south Omaha, an area where nearly a quarter of residents are foreign-born according to the 2020 census. A small group of people came out to protest the raid, and some of them even jumped on the front bumper of a vehicle to try to stop officers in one location while others threw rocks at officials' vehicles as a white bus carrying workers pulled away from a plant. Many workers attempted to avoid arrest by hiding in building rafters and walk-in freezers with subzero temperatures, prompting EMTs to respond and check individuals for health and safety concerns, according to federal agents on scene. The operation comes amid nationwide protests over immigration enforcement, particularly in Los Angeles, where similar workplace raids last week triggered demonstrations that prompted Trump to deploy National Guard troops. Glenn Valley Foods owner Gary Rohwer said he used the federal E-Verify system to check workers' eligibility but was deceived by employees using stolen identities of U.S. citizens, which allowed them to pass background checks. The operation is part of the Trump administration's renewed focus on workplace enforcement as part of broader immigration crackdowns. Such operations have become flashpoints for protests, with critics arguing they separate families and damage communities while supporters say they're necessary to enforce immigration law and protect American workers. NewsNation's Ali Bradley contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty on One Charge in New York Rape Retrial
Originally appeared on E! Online A portion of Harvey Weinstein's fate has been decided. A jury found the former Hollywood producer guilty of one of the three sex crimes charges in his New York retrial on June 11. Weinstein was convicted of the charge of a Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, stemming from his 2006 alleged assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley. He was found not guilty of a charge of a Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree over his alleged assault of Kaja Sokola in 2006. The jury has yet to reach a verdict on the third count, relating to the alleged 2013 rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann. (Deliberations are set to continue June 12.) Weinstein, 73, was originally found guilty of third-degree rape and one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree during his trial in 2020, resulting in a 23-year sentence behind bars, per NBC News. However, his conviction was overturned in April 2024, with New York's highest court determining that improper testimony had been allowed at the trial. 'We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes,' the court said, "because that testimony served no material non-propensity purpose." More from E! Online 1000-Lb Sisters: Tammy Slaton Unveils Transformation After Skin Removal Surgery Miley Cyrus Says She Lost Hotel Transylvania Role Over Penis Cake Scandal Love Is Blind's Lydia Gonzalez and Milton Johnson Break Up After Nearly 3 Years of Marriage Weinstein—who has pleaded not guilty—was accused of performing oral sex on former Project Runway production assistant Haley in 2006 without her consent and raping aspiring actress Mann in 2013. In his retrial, he also faced a new allegation from Sokola, who said she met Weinstein at a club in 2002 when she was 16 and working as a fashion model, according to The New York Times. She alleged that he forcibly performed oral sex on her at a hotel in Manhattan four years later, leading to one more count of a first-degree criminal sexual act, per NBC News. 'They all had dreams of pursuing careers in the defendant's world, the entertainment industry,' prosecutor Nicole Blumberg told jurors June 3, per The Associated Press. "He was going to have their bodies and touch their bodies whether they wanted him to or not.' But, according to the outlet, Weinstein's lawyer argued, 'It's transactional, folks. Yes, he wants to fool around with them, and yes, they want something from him." Since the start of the #MeToo movement, over 80 women have accused the Oscar winner of sexual misconduct, though he maintains his interactions were consensual, per NBC. Weinstein—who was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer last year—is also serving 16 years in prison following a separate 2022 conviction of one count of forcible rape and two counts of sexual assault in his Los Angeles case. (E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.) For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Man Gored by Bison While Visiting Yellowstone National Park
Originally appeared on E! Online A New Jersey resident is on the mend after a shocking end to his visit to Wyoming. At Yellowstone National Park June 10, a 30-year-old man from Randolph, New Jersey, sustained minor injuries after being gored by a bison, when a large visiting group got a little too close to the animal, according to the park's website. Park officials said in a news release that the bison charged at the man at around 9:45 a.m. local time in the Old Faithful geyser area of the park. Yellowstone officials are still investigating the severity of the man's injuries and the incident itself, although they reported he had been 'treated and transported by emergency personnel.' This is the fifth bison-related incident to occur in the national park since 2023, according to Yellowstone. The latest bison blitz follows another situation that occurred this spring in the Lake Village area of the park, when a 47-year-old Florida resident was similarly struck by the animal's horns. More from E! Online 1000-Lb Sisters: Tammy Slaton Unveils Transformation After Skin Removal Surgery Miley Cyrus Says She Lost Hotel Transylvania Role Over Penis Cake Scandal Love Is Blind's Lydia Gonzalez and Milton Johnson Break Up After Nearly 3 Years of Marriage And in 2024, an 83-year-old woman from South Carolina was more severely injured after she was lifted off the ground by the grassland animal's horns. Following her attack, Yellowstone issued a report saying she was airlifted to an Idaho hospital by helicopter. Yellowstone repeatedly warns its visitors about the dangers of getting too close to bison that live in the park, recommending to maintain at least 25 yards of distance from the animals, and at least 100 yards from the park's bears, wolves and cougars. 'Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,' Yellowstone has said in several press statements following the various attacks. 'Bison are not aggressive animals but will defend their space when threatened. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.' After the park opened up on the situation on social media, many online users reacted to the latest attack, noting the victim was blatantly breaking the Yellowstone rules. 'Don't pet the fluffy cows!' one user joked, with another adding, 'You guys don't put those signs up just for fun??' For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
