Boat explodes in Lake Michigan near Waukegan, seriously injuring 2: Lake County Sheriff's Office

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Two men were seriously injured Tuesday, after a boat exploded off the coast of the north suburbs, a Lake County Sheriff's Office spokesman said.

The incident took place about 2:45 p.m. near a power plant at the end of Greenwood Avenue in Lake Michigan, Waukegan fire officials said.

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The two people were rescued by a good Samaritan on a boat and were brought to Waukegan Harbor, Lake County Sheriff's Office spokesman Chris Covelli said.

"If there wasn't a boat out there, and there were very few boats out today, those guys could have gone down," said witness Jim Schiffman.

Schiffman captured cell phone video after the two men, he said, were rescued by someone onboard a pontoon boat.

"Lots of flames, smoke was billowing. I could see the smoke as soon as I pulled out of the harbor and it was probably a good two and half, three miles away before I got there," he described.

The Lake County Sheriff's office says a 46-year-old man from Washington and 55-year-old man from Franklin Park were taken to Vista East Medical Center in serious condition with burns and smoke inhalation.

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Chopper 7 was over the scene just after 4 p.m., and flames could still be seen coming from the boat.

The 25-foot fiberglass hull powerboat burned for about 90 minutes before sinking, the sheriff's office said.

The U.S. Coast Guard of the Great Lakes said there was no known pollution associated with the explosion and fire.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation by the Illinois Conservation Police, and the boat was a total loss.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit and Illinois Department of Natural Resources also responded to the incident.