The powerful explosion occurred around 18:30 local time, on the Patapsco River, shortly after the ship’s departure from the port. The moment was captured by a livestream camera, the same one that had also immortalized the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge last year, when the containership “Dali” had lost steering and collided with the support piers.
The video shows a massive orange fireball exploding from a hold near the bow, followed by thick black smoke. Residents of the area reported hearing a loud bang, while some stated that their houses shook.
According to the Baltimore City Fire Department, tugboats with firefighting equipment rushed to the scene, while the response was characterized as “unified and coordinated” with the participation of the company, the port, and the US Coast Guard.
Despite the severity of the explosion, the ship continued sailing, while its 23 crew members are safe and without injuries. Tugs led the “W-Sapphire” to the Annapolis Anchorage, near the Bay Bridge, where it anchored safely for further inspections.
