Explosion Aboard Merchant Vessel W-Sapphire in Baltimore Harbor
The vessel, transporting coal, had 23 crew members and two pilots aboard at the time.
MARYLAND — On August 18, an explosion occurred aboard the 751-foot merchant vessel W-Sapphire while outbound from Baltimore Harbor. The vessel, transporting coal, had 23 crew members and two pilots aboard at the time.
The incident took place south of Fort Carroll, resulting in a fire that was subsequently extinguished. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation.
Responders from Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region were dispatched following a call received over VHF channel 16 at approximately 6:30 p.m. A 2,000-yard safety zone was established around the incident location, spanning from the Key Bridge to Brewerton Angle Channel LB "14".
Plans for the vessel were formulated in coordination with local partners. Involved in the initial response were Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay response boat crews, a Coast Guard Station Annapolis response boat crew, Sector Maryland-National Capital Region responders, Baltimore Fire Department crews, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police crews.
Updates and Ongoing Response
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