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6mo ago

Explosion on Coal Carrier Near Baltimore’s Key Bridge Site Prompts Channel Closure

The W‑Sapphire now sits at anchorage under Coast Guard control pending safety clearance.

Screenshot from ship explosion in the Patpasco River on Monday.
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The remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge are visible after nearly a year of cleanup on March 20, 2025. The bridge, a major span over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, collapsed on March 26, 2024 after it was struck by the Singapore-flagged container ship killing six road workers who were on the bridge at the time.

Overview

  • Authorities reported an apparent explosion around 6:30 p.m. Monday on the 751‑foot Liberian‑flagged bulk carrier W‑Sapphire in the Patapsco River near the former Francis Scott Key Bridge site.
  • Firefighters contained and extinguished an under‑deck fire as tugboats assisted the still‑afloat vessel to a designated anchorage for inspection.
  • All 23 crew members and two pilots were accounted for with no injuries, and officials reported no property damage beyond the ship.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard established a 2,000‑yard safety zone and temporarily closed the Port of Baltimore’s main shipping channel while it investigates.
  • The coal‑laden ship had departed Baltimore bound for Port Louis, Mauritius, and video shared by witnesses showed a large fireball and smoke rising from the vessel.