July Fourth Incident Has Locals Calling Infamous Lake ‘Haunted’ Again

An accident on Lake Lanier on Friday did little to shed the longstanding belief that the body of water is cursed.

A 23-foot cabin-cruiser burst into flames during Fourth of July festivities while being towed across the infamous lake in Atlanta, Georgia. The explosion reportedly injured all seven passengers aboard, including one child who had to be airlifted off the vessel.

None of the passengers were in critical condition upon rescue. Some of them suffered second and third-degree burns.

While the official cause of the explosion remains under investigation, several people blamed it on something more sinister. Many called Lake Lanier "haunted" and pointed to the concerning number of accidents and deaths that have occurred at the lake.

"I don’t believe in ghosts, but… Lake Lanier is actually cursed," one person said.

I don’t believe in ghosts, but…

Lake Lanier is actually cursed.pic.twitter.com/f7Ww36Rzta https://t.co/e229HYUD29

— Patricia Eguino (@PatriciaEguino) July 5, 2025

"LMAO you couldn’t pay me to step foot near Lake Lanier! That place is HAUNTED!" another wrote.

LMAO you couldn’t pay me to step foot near Lake Lanier! That place is HAUNTED! https://t.co/q5ckY2VlkP

— femgod (@mayamvictoria) July 5, 2025

One woman even called the accident "good" and considered it as yet another warning from Lake Lanier.

"Good. It’s haunted. Leave Lake Lanier alone," she said.

Good. It’s haunted. Leave Lake Lanier alone. https://t.co/GDj6IN6KNn

— Onlymaam on Onlyscamz (@LeedvsLydia) July 5, 2025

Lake Lanier, which is named after Confederate poet Sidney Lanier, is a manmade reservoir created in 1956 after the construction of the Buford Dam. The United States Army Corps of Engineers built the dam to provide water for Atlanta and simultaneously reduce the amount of flooding.

However, the initiative led to the flooding of a small Black town in the area called Oscarville. Many of the homes, roads and even gravesites were submerged as a result. Some believe the forgotten gravesites to be at the core of the urban legend.

Remnants of the community that once was remain intact underwater, leading some swimmers and divers to still explore the ruins to this day.

Over 700 deaths have been reported at the lake since its creation, with more than 200 happening since 1994.

Last month, a 27-year-old man jumped into the lake while on a boat at Lake Lanier. Only his life jacket floated to the surface as his friends frantically tried to find him. Local officials later used sonar technology to locate the body, which was found 60 feet below the surface the following evening.

In 2023, Tameka Foster, ex-wife of R&B singer Usher, called for the lake to be drained and properly restored 11 years after her son's tragic death. The 11-year-old boy was struck by a jet ski while floating in an inner tube on the lake. Foster's petition got thousands of signatures. 

According to a report from USA Today, there were 65 recorded deaths at Lake Lanier from 2018 to 2024.

Related: July 4th Boat Explosion Reported on Well-Known Lake