Cargo ship explodes near site of Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse, no injuries reported | WATCH

A bulk carrier caught fire on the Patapsco River near the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Monday evening, sending flames and smoke into the air and fuelling speculation of an explosion. 

Authorities identified the vessel as W Sapphire, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier carrying coal. The ship had left Baltimore at 5:55 p.m. on Monday, August 18, and was en route to Port Louis, Mauritius, with an expected arrival on September 23, according to maritime tracking data.

Fire contained, no injuries reported

The Baltimore City Fire Department confirmed that an under-deck fire caused the smoke and that no injuries were reported. Spokesperson John Marsh told WBAL-TV the blaze had been fully contained and the vessel was moved away from the harbour. The Maryland Department of Emergency Management added that there was no damage beyond the ship itself.

City officials noted that crews from the fire department and the US Coast Guard responded quickly to the scene, escorting the vessel away from Fort Howard to avoid further danger.

Explosion speculation

Video footage shared on social media captured flames erupting from the forward hold of the ship, prompting speculation of an explosion. Residents in neighbourhoods around Baltimore reported hearing loud booms and feeling tremors.

“I knew I felt something!! I’m in Pasadena and felt something beneath my feet shake. I thought I was crazy. My boyfriend said he thought it sounded like thunder,” one person shared.

Another resident added: “Sounded horrible and vibrated the whole house! Farmington in pasadena.”

“Pumphrey/Brooklyn Park area here made my dogs bark and sounded like a transformer to me,” a third reported.

Despite multiple eyewitness accounts, officials have not confirmed an explosion. BNO News cited Baltimore fire officials who said the cause remains under investigation.

Ship and incident details

Radar records list the vessel’s call sign as D5AF7, with an IMO number of 9605645 and MMSI 636023364. Online tracking also indicated the ship had recently loaded coal at the CSX Coal Dock before its departure.

Mike Singer, a member of the Baltimore and Chesapeake Bay Shipwatchers group, said the incident happened at approximately 6:28 p.m. while the vessel was moving past the remains of the Key Bridge.

Connection to Key Bridge

The incident unfolded near the site of the March 26, 2024, disaster when the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Dali lost power and slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the structure to collapse within seconds. That tragedy killed six construction workers and severely disrupted operations at the Port of Baltimore for months.