No injuries reported after cargo ship explodes near Baltimore; channel reopened Tuesday
By Ciara Wells
The Patapsco River channel into the Port of Baltimore was reopened Tuesday afternoon after a fiery explosion on a cargo ship Monday night closed the channel for the better part of a day while the Coast Guard investigated.
The incident began about 6:30 p.m. Monday when the bow of the coal-carrying cargo ship W-Sapphire erupted in a fireball as it was leaving the port, not far from the remaining wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed last year. Livestream video footage shows the explosion, followed by black smoke billowing from the ship as it slowly continues its path on the Patapsco River.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to WTOP that there were 23 people and two pilots on board the coal-bearing ship. The Maryland Department of Emergency Management reported on X and the Baltimore City Fire Department reported in a post on Facebook that no injuries to the crew had been reported, and there was no damage found beyond the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier from Liberia.
'Fireboats remain on scene as the Coast Guard and other agencies begin their investigation. The vessel will be moved to a designated anchorage area and held there until cleared by the Coast Guard,' the fire department wrote Monday night.
Key Bridge deconstruction continues as officials eye initial effort for a new span
By Tuesday, the W-Sapphire had been moved and anchored near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where the Coast Guard established a safety zone for 500 yards around the vessel.
The explosion blew a hatch off the front of the W-Sapphire and into the river, posing a potential threat to navigation that led the Coast Guard to close the channel for 2,000 yards around the possible resting place of the hatch. By Tuesday evening, that safety zone had been lifted, but the Coast Guard imposed draft restrictions on ships passing through the area and said a 500-yard safety zone could be imposed when recovery of the hatch began.
The explosion occurred not far from the remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in the early morning hours on March 26, 2024, when the container ship Dali lost power and careened into the bridge, causing most of it to collapse into the river below.
Six construction workers were killed in the collapse. The destruction and extensive recovery efforts raised concerns about the implications to international shipping and commerce — the Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest port in the nation. But the channel was cleared and reopened within weeks.
Crews are now involved in removing remaining parts of the Key Bridge in preparation for a higher, longer replacement span, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
– As part of Maryland Matters' content sharing agreement with WTOP, we feature this article from Ciara Wells. Click here for the WTOP News website.
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