Pontoon boat was stolen before it exploded into flames near Prosser
Someone may have set a stolen boat on fire in the Yakima River near Prosser.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the suspicious fire that started shortly after noon Thursday.
The stolen pontoon boat was found a couple days ago west of Prosser and was tied off until the owner could get it back home, the sheriff’s office said.
People heard an explosion and spotted the boat fully engulfed in flames near Ward Gap and Byron roads Thursday and called 911.
When firefighters arrived, they found it floating down the middle of the river.
No one was on board at the time the fire started, according to authorities.
This story was originally published June 20, 2019 at 12:47 PM.