Truck
explodes, two men burned

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 5/29/03

Two Foreston men were working on an old truck with a cutting torch when the gas tank of the truck exploded on Sunday, May 25.

A neighbor across the street heard the explosion, told his wife to call 911, then ran to the scene.

Brian Riisanger, 33, and his father Gary Riisanger, 56, had been working on the vehicle when the gas tank exploded around 1 p.m.

Deputy Brad Barnes of the Mille Lacs County Sheriff¹s Department, Foreston Fire Rescue and North Ambulance responded to the scene on County Road 18, about one and a half miles north of Foreston.

The two men were initially taken to Fairview Northland Hospital in Princeton. Brian was then flown to the Hennepin County Burn Unit (HCBU) in Minneapolis and Gary was taken by ambulance to the same facility.

As of Tuesday, May 27, HCBU reported Brian in critical condition and Gary in satisfactory condition.