Video Shows Ship Explode Near Baltimore Harbor: What We Know

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Adeola Adeosun is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news, politics and trends. Adeola joined Newsweek in 2024 and has previously worked for CNN, Bossip, and The Messenger. You can get in touch with Adeola by emailing a.adeosun@newsweek.com. Languages: English.

Weekend Night Editor

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An explosion rocked a cargo ship near Baltimore Harbor Monday evening, sending emergency crews scrambling to respond near the same location where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last year.

Newsweek reached out to the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) via email on Monday for comment.

Why It Matters

The explosion near the Francis Scott Key Bridge site raises immediate maritime safety concerns in one of the East Coast’s busiest shipping corridors.

Federal investigators announced in March that the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) failed to complete a crucial vulnerability assessment that could have identified the Francis Scott Key Bridge as being at high risk of collapse from a ship strike well before last year’s disaster.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the assessment, recommended decades ago, would have highlighted the structural dangers that ultimately led to the bridge’s demise when a massive cargo ship lost power, veered off course, and struck a support pier, killing six construction workers.

U.S. Coast Guard crews and firefighters from the city of Baltimore responded to the incident, successfully extinguishing the fire on the still-moving vessel, NBC News reported.

All 23 crew members aboard the vessel escaped injury in the dramatic incident that occurred around 6:30 p.m. ET, according to local station WBFF.

The W Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier, experienced a fire and explosion while navigating the Patapsco River near the former bridge site. BCFD units responded immediately by both land and water, deploying specialized fireboats to assist the damaged vessel.

Despite the severity of the blast, the bulk carrier remained afloat throughout the incident and received critical assistance from tugboats to maintain stability in the busy shipping channel, WBFF reported.

What People Are Saying

Maryland Governor Wes Moore addressed the incident on X, emphasizing state coordination with federal authorities Monday night saying: “State agencies are responding to the situation near Baltimore Harbor. My office is in touch with local and federal authorities, and we are closely monitoring the situation. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”

What Happens Next?

The Coast Guard will continue investigating the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire. The vessel remains under observation as authorities work to determine what led to the incident aboard the coal-carrying ship.

Update 8/18/25,11:05 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.