On Monday, August 18, a cargo ship experienced a violent explosion as it was leaving the port of Baltimore in the state of Maryland, United States. A huge fireball erupted from the ship, but fortunately, there were no casualties.
According to online videos circulating on the internet, around 6:30 PM local time on the Patapsco River, a bulk carrier ship near the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore suddenly exploded, sending a massive fireball rising from the bow of the ship, accompanied by billowing thick smoke.
Authorities confirmed that the vessel involved was a 751-foot-long commercial bulk carrier named MV W-Sapphire, flying the flag of Liberia.
The Baltimore City Fire Department was the first to respond to the incident, with a dedicated firefighting boat equipped to handle fires and other emergencies on the Chesapeake Bay. The United States Coast Guard also rushed to the scene.
Updates posted on social media by the department confirmed that all 23 crew members aboard the ship were safe and uninjured.
Despite the fire, the ship remained afloat. At the time of the incident, two tugboats were providing assistance to the vessel.
John Marsh, spokesman for the Baltimore City Fire Department, stated that the situation was under control. The Coast Guard towed the vessel out of the shipping lane to a designated anchorage where it was temporarily detained for inspection.
A member of the Baltimore and Chesapeake Bay Shipwatchers team, Mike Singer, informed the media that the ship had departed from the CSX coal pier around 5:45 PM on the same day.
The US Coast Guard and other agencies have initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore mentioned on social media that “relevant agencies are handling the situation near the port of Baltimore,” and government officials at all levels are closely monitoring the developments to provide the latest information promptly.
This incident occurred during the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore following a major collision accident. In March of the previous year, the large container ship “Dali” lost power, hit one of the bridge’s supports, causing the bridge to collapse and severing this vital transportation artery, leading to traffic congestion in the area.
The construction of the new bridge is estimated to cost over $1.7 billion and is expected to be completed as early as the fall of 2028. The original bridge was completed in 1977 after five years of construction.