BALTIMORE — The Coast Guard and local partners are responding to reports of an explosion aboard the 751-foot merchant vessel W-Sapphire in Baltimore Harbor, Monday.
Responders from Coast Guard Sector Maryland - National Capital Region were dispatched to the area to assist. No injuries have been reported at this time and the cause of the explosion is under investigation.
The Coast Guard has established a 2,000-yard safety zone around the incident location, spanning from the Key Bridge to Brewerton Angle Channel LB “14”.
Reports state the fire has been extinguished and plans for the vessel are being formulated.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., Sector Maryland - National Capital Region watchstanders received a call over VHF channel 16 from the W-Sapphire sating their had been an explosion aboard the vessel.
The W-Sapphire was outbound from Baltimore Harbor with 23 crewmembers and 2 pilots aboard and was south of Fort Carroll at the time of the explosion. The report stated the vessel was transporting coal.
Watchstanders 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.
Involved in the response so far:
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
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police crews
- USCG -