Ignoring warnings, five people drove into a restricted Yellowstone geothermal area, plunging into a scalding, acidic lake but survived.
Visitors suddenly drove into Yellowstone Park’s hot acidic lake
Recently, a group of five visitors at Yellowstone National Park in the United States somehow survived after their vehicle plunged into the park’s famously dangerous hot, acidic lakes.
According to reports, the group had driven their SUV car past safety barriers and into a restricted area near the Norris Geyser Basin.
This region of Yellowstone is known for its volatile geothermal features, including boiling, acidic pools that can easily prove fatal to those who venture too close.
Witnesses say the vehicle lost control and careened directly into Celestine Lake, a small but extremely hot and corrosive body of water.
Temperatures in the lake can exceed 200°F (93°C), and the pH levels are around 3.7, making it nearly as acidic as vinegar.
Park rangers immediately rushed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, the car had become completely submerged.
Five visitors miraculously survived after the accident.
To everyone’s astonishment, all five visitors were able to escape the vehicle and make it safely to the shore, despite the dangerous conditions.
“It’s an absolute miracle that anyone survived that crash,” said park spokesman Neal Herbert.
“Those lakes are essentially giant pools of boiling, toxic liquid. Being exposed to them, even for a few seconds, is usually fatal.”
The group was quickly transported to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for severe burns and other injuries.
Remarkably, while their condition was serious, all five individuals are expected to make a full recovery.
Park officials have launched a thorough investigation into how this harrowing incident occurred.
Yellowstone Park rangers responded to the incident
Yellowstone contains hundreds of these superheated, acidic water features, and straying from designated safe zones can have catastrophic consequences.
“We have signs, fences, and other barriers in place to keep visitors away from these dangerous thermal areas,” Herbert explained.
“But every so often, someone ignores the warnings and ends up paying a terrible price.”
Yellowstone’s unique geology
Yellowstone’s unique geology is the result of the area sitting atop a gigantic underground supervolcano.
This volcanic activity powers the park’s famous hot springs, geysers, and bubbling mud pots. However, it also creates an environment that can quickly turn deadly for the unwary.
In this case, the five visitors appear to have made a tragic lapse in judgment that nearly cost them their lives.
Park rangers say they are grateful the incident did not result in any fatalities, but they caution that such reckless behavior puts themselves and rescue teams at serious risk.
“People need to understand that Yellowstone’s thermal features are not attractive tourist attractions.
They are dynamic, extremely hazardous natural phenomena,” Herbert stated.
“Wandering off the designated trails and boardwalks can have catastrophic consequences.
We hope this serves as a stark reminder to always stay on marked paths and obey all safety protocols when visiting the park.”