Mystery Goo Ignites in Boston Trash Boat
‘A mysterious gooey material burst into flames after being hauled into a trash boat on the Charles River on Thursday, injuring three crew members.
The crew had picked up what they described as a taffy-like substance about eight inches long along with other trash and placed it in a container on their boat. It caught fire as the boat returned to the center of the river near the Massachusetts Avenue bridge connecting Boston and Cambridge, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney’s office.
Wark said two crew members had first- and second-degree burns that were not life-threatening. A third crew member had minor burns, as did two emergency medical technicians who came into contact with the substance, he said.’