(BALTIMORE) — The U.S. Coast Guard and local partners responded to reports of an explosion aboard the 751-foot bulk carrier W-Sapphire in Baltimore Harbor on Monday.
Responders from Coast Guard Sector Maryland – National Capital Region were dispatched to the area to assist. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the explosion is under investigation.
As a precaution, the Patapsco River has been closed to all vessel traffic between position coordinates 39°11.70’N, 076°31.71’W, near Swan Creek, and 39°12.6’N, 076°29.74’W, near Sparrows Point, and extending up to the former location of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Additionally, a 500-yard safety zone has been established around where W-Sapphire is anchored at position 39°01.4’N, 076°22.10’W, north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Crews are awaiting verification to confirm safe conditions before proceeding with further Coast Guard investigations onboard the vessel.
During the explosion a hatch detached and entered the water. Recovery plans to locate and retrieve the hatch are under development, but its exact location and potential impact on the navigable channel remain unknown.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed the vessel Buck, a sonar-equipped survey vessel, to the incident site at approximately 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Buck is collecting data to identify any obstructions to the safe navigation of traffic entering or exiting the Port of Baltimore via the Fort McHenry Federal Channel. The data will also help determine the operational plan needed to fully reopen the federal channel.
The Coast Guard and partner agencies are actively monitoring the situation and coordinating recovery efforts to ensure the safety of maritime operations in the area.
Reports state the fire has been extinguished and plans for the vessel are being formulated.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sector Maryland – National Capital Region watch standers received a call over VHF Channel 16 from W-Sapphire stating there had been an explosion aboard the vessel.
W-Sapphire was outbound from Baltimore Harbor with 23 crewmembers and two pilots aboard and was south of Fort Carroll at the time of the explosion. The report stated the vessel was transporting coal.
Watch standers issued an urgent marine information broadcast notice to mariners and dispatched responders to the scene to assist while coordinating the response with local port partners.
Responders included 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.
– U.S. Coast Guard
