The plaintiff had recently purchased a 27-foot powerboat. The boat was equipped with a pump to dissipate gas vapor which built up in the hold.
The plaintiff forgot to activate the pump prior to starting the ignition. There was an explosion followed by a fire. The plaintiff has third-degree burns over 30% of his body. A simple alarm device was available to detect the presence of dangerous gasoline fumes. Had this been provided by the manufacturer of the boat this accident could have been prevented.[55]