Baltimore Cargo Ship Explosion: A dramatic explosion on board a Liberian-registered cargo ship despatched a fireball and thick plumes of smoke into the sky over Baltimore on Monday night, inflicting renewed concern in an space already shaken by this 12 months’s bridge catastrophe. The blast occurred on the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot-long vessel touring by means of the Patapsco River, near the spot the place the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March 2024 after being struck by one other ship. Authorities stated the explosion got here from an under-deck hearth, although the precise trigger continues to be beneath investigation.
Crew Members Secure
In line with officers, all 23 crew members on board had been accounted for and no accidents had been reported. The ship remained afloat and was later guided to a safer anchorage spot with the assistance of tugboats. The Baltimore Hearth Division confirmed that the hearth was contained and didn’t threaten close by vessels.
#BREAKING | NEWS
Baltimore Police Division helicopter hovering over the cargo ship that exploded within the Baltimore Harbor Chesapeake Bay a number of hearth boats are on the water attempting to comprise the hearth and gas . pic.twitter.com/DOSaOWmumX
— Todd Paron (@tparon) August 19, 2025
Security Measures
The US Coast Guard has arrange a 2,000-yard security zone across the space as investigators work to find out what triggered the explosion. Inbuilt 2012, the W-Sapphire was reportedly en path to Port Louis, Mauritius on the time of the incident.
Video footage shared on social media confirmed massive clouds of darkish smoke rising from the vessel, triggering preliminary fears of a repeat of the sooner maritime accident.
Nonetheless Haunting the Metropolis
Many residents had been reminded of the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March, which claimed six lives and had a large impression on U.S. provide chains, notably as a result of the Port of Baltimore is a significant entry level for imported automobiles and cargo. Some witnesses initially believed Monday’s blast was associated to demolition work on the bridge web site.
At current, authorities say there isn’t a connection between this explosion and the March bridge catastrophe — however for Baltimore, the 2 incidents strike an analogous nerve.