Explosion on cargo ship closes Baltimore shipping channel near site of 2024 bridge collapse
BALTIMORE — Investigators on Tuesday were trying to determine what caused an explosion aboard a cargo ship laden with coal as it departed Baltimore's harbour for East Africa.
Officials said no one was injured in the blast Monday evening, which prompted a mayday call when it was reported near the site of last year's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Video of the explosion showed flames shooting high into the air, followed by a large plume of dark smoke billowing over the Patapsco River.
The Port of Baltimore's main shipping channel was closed Tuesday morning.
'The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead agency in the response and will determine when the channel can safely reopen, as well as the timing of vessel arrivals and departures,' port officials said in a news release.
The 751-foot (229-meter) merchant vessel W-Sapphire was en route from Baltimore to East Africa, according to marine tracking websites. It was expected to arrive in the Port of Mauritius in about a month. Built in 2012, the ship is currently sailing under a Liberian flag. Officials said it was transporting coal.
There were 23 crewmembers and two pilots aboard at the time of the explosion, according to Coast Guard officials.
Baltimore Fire Department spokesperson John Marsh said the agency responded to a fire below deck.
There were no reports of property damage beyond the ship, according to the Maryland Department of Emergency Management.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said his office was closely monitoring the situation.
The Coast Guard established a 2,000-yard (1,829-meter) safety zone around the site of the explosion.
'Reports state the fire has been extinguished and plans for the vessel are being formulated,' the agency said in a statement.
Officials didn't provide a timeline for when the federal shipping channel was expected to reopen.
It was closed for months after the deadly bridge collapse in March 2024, which killed six members of a roadwork crew and effectively brought port operations to a standstill. The bridge was destroyed when the container ship Dali lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns.
Lea Skene, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
The Glace Bay Food Bank now has a greenhouse
News Duration 1:59 The custom-built structure will allow the non-profit to extend its growing season and produce more vegetables for people in need. Kyle Moore has the story.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Tortoise hatchlings born of century-old parents come out of their shells at Philadelphia Zoo
Staff members pose for photographs with several of the 16 critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoise hatchlings during their debut at the Philadelphia Zoo on Aug. 20, 2025. (Matt Rourke / AP Photo) PHILADELPHIA — Sixteen critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoises born to some very old parents got a slow walk and the red carpet treatment Wednesday at a Philadelphia Zoo event to show off the highly prized hatchlings. Animal care specialists who have watched over the 16 since they were eggs held the animals on a pathway by the zoo's tortoise habitat. The hatchlings are said to be eating well and growing. The pampered turtles were born in a series of hatches this year to Mommy and Abrazzo, a couple that is estimated to both be about 100 years old. Mommy arrived at the zoo in 1932, but had not produced offspring until Abrazzo was brought in nearly five years ago from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, S.C. The 16 are her first progeny. 'Now this animal, who's been in Philadelphia since 1932, will be represented here for, hopefully, another 100 years because her offspring are now part of our collection,' said Lauren Augustine, the zoo's director of herpetology. Four females that hatched early this spring were named after characters in the TV show ' Golden Girls.' Three males were hatched in April, and that was followed by Mommy's second clutch, which resulted in three females in June and six males this summer. Mommy and Abrazzo are the Philadelphia Zoo's oldest inhabitants and seen as highly genetically valuable for the survival of the species. Their offspring are considered a win in the effort to preserve western Santa Cruz tortoises. They are expected to remain at the zoo for at least a year before being placed in different facilities next fall. Western Santa Cruz tortoises are among the 13 living species of tortoise native to seven islands in the Galapagos chain in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ecuador. The largest species of tortoise, they are thought to live as long as 200 years. The zoo is soliciting donors to suggest names for one of the hatchlings, a male, subject to zoo approval. Others are named Zee, James, Colette, Soledad, Isabelle, Roger, Fausto, Caldero, Lee, Marigold Puddlefoot and Kelpy. The zoo uses nontoxic nail polish in different colors to distinguish them from each other. The Philadelphia Zoo also has two giant Aldabra tortoises, Wilma and Betty. A 135-year-old Galapagos tortoise named Goliath became a father for the first time at Zoo Miami in June.
CTV News
7 hours ago
- CTV News
As U.S. Powerball jackpot nears $900 million, can Canadians try their luck?
A person shows their Powerball lottery ticket at a 7-Eleven on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Portland, Ore. The ticket did not win the jackpot. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) The estimated jackpot for this week's U.S. Powerball lottery has surpassed US$643 million (C$891 million), prompting some Canadians to wonder if they're eligible to claim the prize. Here's what to know about the nearly-nine-figure total up for grabs this Wednesday: The Powerball The Powerball is a lottery offered in 45 U.S. states, with jackpots that have historically grown into the billions of dollars. Players select six numbered balls and check their choices against three weekly draws, held each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. After Monday's draw failed to produce a winner, the current jackpot has grown to an estimated US$643 million, paid out over 29 years as an annuity, or in a significantly smaller lump sum, currently valued at US$290.6 million (C$402.7 million). In 2022, the Powerball's highest-ever jackpot reached just over US$2 billion (C$2.78 billion). According to the Multi-State Lottery Association (MSLA), the odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338. Eligibility rules Customers above the minimum age in every U.S. state except for Nevada, Utah, Alabama, Alaska and Hawaii are eligible to play for the jackpot, even if they aren't American citizens or residents. 'Players from jurisdictions where Powerball tickets are not sold, either in the United States or outside the country, when visiting a selling jurisdiction, can purchase Powerball tickets,' the lottery's FAQ page reads. However, Powerball tickets can't be sold across jurisdictional boundaries, online or by mail, so trying your luck will require an in-person trip to one of the participating states. The next draw is Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. EDT. What about taxes? The MSLA notes that Powerball winnings may be subject to 'federal and jurisdictional income taxes,' but the rules get a little more complicated if you're planning on taking your winnings back up north. The good news is that, according to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), 'lottery winnings of any amount' are not reported or taxed, 'unless the prize can be considered income from employment, a business or property, or a prize for achievement.' That said, the CRA warns that if you invest those winnings, income and interest earned off those investments will be taxable, even if the principal amount isn't. As for U.S. taxes, the American Internal Revenue Service says that generally speaking, non-U.S. residents are subject to a tax of 30 per cent on the gross proceeds of gambling winnings, which is withheld by the lottery at the point of payout. In addition to U.S. federal taxes, Canadians may also be subject to state and local taxes, which can vary widely. California, for example, waives its state taxes for lottery winnings, and in Texas and Florida, there are no state income taxes in the first place.
