Video Shows Ship Explode Near Baltimore Harbor: What We Know
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
An explosion rocked a cargo ship near Baltimore Harbor Monday evening, sending emergency crews scrambling to respond near the same location where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last year.
All 23 crew members aboard the vessel escaped injury in the dramatic incident that occurred around 6:30 p.m. ET, according to local station WBFF.
The W Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier, experienced a fire and explosion while navigating the Patapsco River near the former bridge site. Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) units responded immediately by both land and water, deploying specialized fireboats to assist the damaged vessel.
SHIP EXPLOSION! Wild scene after explosion on a 751 foot commercial vessel with 23 people on board. Fortunately, all reported okay. Fireboats & Coast Guard working scene--and--not far from the former Baltimore Key Bridge which was destroyed by a Cargo ship collision last year.… pic.twitter.com/5cRmxOrRSG — Scott Thuman (@ScottThuman) August 19, 2025
Despite the severity of the blast, the bulk carrier remained afloat throughout the incident and received critical assistance from tugboats to maintain stability in the busy shipping channel, WBFF reported.
Governor Wes Moore addressed the incident on X, emphasizing state coordination with federal authorities Monday night saying, "State agencies are responding to the situation near Baltimore Harbor. My office is in touch with local and federal authorities, and we are closely monitoring the situation. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available."
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Video Shows Ship Explode Near Baltimore Harbor: What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An explosion rocked a cargo ship near Baltimore Harbor Monday evening, sending emergency crews scrambling to respond near the same location where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last year. All 23 crew members aboard the vessel escaped injury in the dramatic incident that occurred around 6:30 p.m. ET, according to local station WBFF. The W Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier, experienced a fire and explosion while navigating the Patapsco River near the former bridge site. Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) units responded immediately by both land and water, deploying specialized fireboats to assist the damaged vessel. SHIP EXPLOSION! Wild scene after explosion on a 751 foot commercial vessel with 23 people on board. Fortunately, all reported okay. Fireboats & Coast Guard working scene--and--not far from the former Baltimore Key Bridge which was destroyed by a Cargo ship collision last year.… — Scott Thuman (@ScottThuman) August 19, 2025 Despite the severity of the blast, the bulk carrier remained afloat throughout the incident and received critical assistance from tugboats to maintain stability in the busy shipping channel, WBFF reported. Governor Wes Moore addressed the incident on X, emphasizing state coordination with federal authorities Monday night saying, "State agencies are responding to the situation near Baltimore Harbor. My office is in touch with local and federal authorities, and we are closely monitoring the situation. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available." This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
Fire and Explosion Damage Ship in Baltimore Harbor
A fire and an explosion damaged a bulk carrier ship in the Port of Baltimore on Monday evening, near the site of a cargo ship accident that toppled the Francis Scott Key bridge last year. The Baltimore City Fire Department responded to reports of an explosion aboard a commercial vessel in the Patapsco River near the former Key Bridge site at around 6:30 p.m., John Marsh, a department spokesman, said. A fireboat crew arrived to find a 751-foot bulk carrier, the W-Sapphire, showing signs of 'damage consistent with a fire and explosion.' A cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. The ship's crew confirmed that all 23 people on board were accounted for and uninjured, Mr. Marsh said in the statement. The W-Sapphire remained afloat on Monday evening and was being assisted by tugboats. It will be moved to 'a designated anchorage area' and will be held there until it is cleared by the U.S. Coast Guard, Mr. Marsh said. The W-Sapphire, which was built in 2012 and sails under the flag of Liberia, was traveling to Port Louis, Mauritius, according to an online ship tracking database. It was scheduled to arrive on Sept. 23, according to the site. The explosion occurred near the site of a cargo ship accident that caused part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to collapse last year. The Key Bridge, which opened in 1977, was the outermost of three major crossings of the Baltimore Harbor and formed part of Baltimore's beltway. More than 12.4 million passenger and commercial vehicles crossed the bridge in 2023, according to a Maryland state government report. Early on March 26, 2024, a 947-foot cargo vessel, the Dali, suffered a power blackout as it was leaving the Port of Baltimore. The massive ship struck the bridge, toppling the structure, and killing six workers. The catastrophe was the nation's deadliest bridge collapse in more than a decade.
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