Baltimore harbor cargo ship explosion: A cargo ship anchored outside Baltimore Harbor in Chesapeake Bay was rocked by a blaze Monday night, raising fears of an explosion just half a mile from the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Social media videos captured the dramatic scene as flames engulfed the deck of the ship with columns of smoke billowing over the Patapsco River.

Authorities identified the ship as the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot Liberian-flagged bulk carrier that had left Baltimore at 5:55 p.m. local time heading towards Port Louis, Mauritius. According to maritime radar reports, the vessel was carrying a load of coal from the CSX Coal Terminal when the blaze erupted. Although initial reports indicated an explosion, Baltimore City Fire Department officials later confirmed that an under-deck fire caused the incident, with no evidence yet of a detonation. Fireboats and emergency responders were dispatched to the scene following the distress calls at 6:28 p.m. The fire was contained in a matter of hours, and the ship was stabilised. Officials said the vessel, call sign D5AF7 and IMO number 9605645, has since been moved to a safe area where it will remain under Coast Guard supervision until investigations are completed.

Incident Near Key Bridge Sparks Fear

The operator of the ship confirmed that no injuries were reported and all 23 crew members were safe. "The crisis was shortly taken under control due to the joint efforts of the Baltimore City Fire Department, Port of Baltimore officials, and United States Coast Guard," declared spokesperson John Marsh.

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Residents in Baltimore and nearby suburbs said they felt quakes and heard massive booms when it happened. "I thought it was thunder, but the vibration made the house shake," said one Pasadena resident to WBAL-TV. Another Brooklyn Park witness said the noise made pets jump and made windows shake, while others reported a brief panic thinking it was associated with the collapse of the Key Bridge this year.

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The fire has drawn added attention because of its proximity to the mangled ruins of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in March 2024 after the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Dali slammed into one of its supports. That accident killed six workers and disrupted a critical transportation link into Baltimore. The White House has since requested billions of dollars to rebuild the structure and restore full operations at the Port of Baltimore. The sighting of another troubled cargo vessel close to the same location reawakened public fears, although authorities stressed that there is no current danger to the bridge's wreck or the nearby shoreline. "The fire was contained to the ship itself, and there was no structural damage to port facilities or environmental spillage into the river," reads a Coast Guard statement.