A cargo ship in the Baltimore Harbor caught on fire Monday evening, causing a huge explosion, not far from the remaining wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed last year.
The Fort McHenry Federal Channel remains closed Tuesday morning after the ship’s explosion, according to the Port of Baltimore. The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the response and will make the call about when the channel can reopen.
Around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, the bow of the W-Sapphire cargo ship combusted in a fireball. Livestream video footage shows black smoke pluming from the ship as it slowly continues its path on the Patapsco River.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to WTOP that there were 23 people and two pilots on board the coal-bearing ship.
The Maryland Department of Emergency Management said in a post on social media that it is aware of the incident and that no injuries or property damage have been reported.
Baltimore City Fire Department said in a post on Facebook that fireboats located the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier from Liberia, which showed signs of damage from the explosion.
“Fireboats remain on scene as the Coast Guard and other agencies begin their investigation. The vessel will be moved to a designated anchorage area and held there until cleared by the Coast Guard,” they wrote.
The fire department said the ship remains afloat. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
The ship exploded not far from the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in the early morning hours on March 26, 2024.
A huge container ship lost power and careened into the bridge, causing most of it to collapse into the river below.
Six construction workers were killed in the collapse. The destruction and extensive recovery efforts raised concerns about the implications to international shipping and commerce — the Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest port in the nation.
Crews will initially remove parts of the collapsed bridge that stand in the way of the alignment of the Key Bridge rebuild, which is expected to be completed in 2028.