5 injured after Minnesota ice fishing camper explosion

Published 10:05 am Tuesday, January 1, 2013

BAUDETTE — Five men were injured after an explosion in an ice fishing camper near Williams in far northern Minnesota.

Lake of the Woods County Sheriff Gary Fish said the propane furnace exploded and blew out the windows at 8 a.m. Sunday on the shore of Lake of the Woods at Zippel Bay.

The victims are Rod Bolstad of Hillsboro, his sons Jacob and Joel Bolstad as well as Al Stokke and Willy Huotari.

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All five were initially taken to a Baudette hospital and then airlifted to a Duluth burn center. Huotari and Rod and Jacob Bolstad were listed in critical condition Monday, Joel Bolstad was in serious condition and Stokke was in fair condition.

The men had stayed overnight in the privately owned camper-ice fishing house.