Boat, out of gas, towed from Mississippi River

Firefighters towed three men up the Mississippi River Friday after they were stranded in a fishing boat.

Battalion chief Steve Niswonger said the men could not start their boat's motor and began drifting down the river. The fuel gauge incorrectly said they had gas in their tank, he said.

"They had put their fishing boat in the river thinking they had gasoline," he said.

Firefighters responded at 6:21 p.m. and found them between the Red Star River Access and the Broadway floodgate. Two of the men were 80 years old, he said. They had paddled to shore and firefighters towed the aluminum boat back to the river access. No injuries were reported, he said.