Explosion Halts Traffic at Port of Baltimore
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BALTIMORE — Investigators on Aug. 19 were what caused an explosion aboard a cargo ship laden with coal as it departed Baltimore's harbor for East Africa.
Officials said no one was injured in the blast the evening of Aug. 18, which prompted a mayday call when it was reported near the site of last year’sFrancis 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 the mornings of Aug. 19.
“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.
MV W Sapphire, outbound from Baltimore near the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, suffered an explosion in its forward hold.
The ship has been escorted off Fort Howard and fire and vessels are on scene.
W Sapphire is a fully loaded bulk carrier sailing to Mauritius. — Sal Mercogliano (WGOW Shipping) 🚢⚓🐪🚒🏴☠️ (@mercoglianos)
The 751-foot merchant vessel 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 crew members 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.
Major explosion reported onboard a vessel departing the Port of Baltimore this evening. Massive marine response ongoing. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical)
The Coast Guard established a 2,000-yard 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 wasclosed for monthsafter 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 Dalilost powerand crashed into one of its supporting columns.
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