Daijiworld Media Network – Baltimore

Baltimore, Aug 19: A massive explosion rocked a cargo ship carrying coal in Baltimore’s harbor near the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on Monday evening.

The blast occurred around 6.30 pm on the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier with 23 crew members and two pilots on board. Baltimore Fire Department confirmed that no injuries were reported and the vessel remained afloat despite visible fire and explosion damage.

Eyewitness Jay Steinmetz, sailing with his son in the Patapsco River, said they heard a loud sound before being engulfed by a thick plume of smoke. Firefighters rushed to the scene by land and water, deploying fireboats to douse the flames. Tugboats were later used to tow the vessel out of the main channel.

The incident unfolded close to the site where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March 2024 after being struck by the cargo ship Dali, killing six workers and crippling operations at Baltimore port for months.