No injuries reported after cargo ship explodes in Baltimore Harbor

Ciara Wells | ciara.wells@wtop.com
August 18, 2025, 8:45 PM

A cargo ship in the Baltimore Harbor caught on fire on Monday evening, causing a huge explosion, not far from the remaining wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed last year. … Around 6:30 p.m., the bow of the W-Sapphire cargo ship combusted in a fireball. Livestream video footage shows black smoke pluming from the ship as it slowly continues its path on the Patapsco River.

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to WTOP that there were 23 people and two pilots on board the coal-bearing ship.

The Maryland Department of Emergency Management said in a post on social media that it is aware of the incident and that no injuries or property damage have been reported.

Baltimore City Fire Department said in a post on Facebook that fireboats located the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier from Liberia, which showed signs of damage from the explosion.

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This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest.

Ciara Wells
Ciara Wells is the Evening Digital Editor at WTOP. She is a graduate of American University where she studied journalism and Spanish. Before joining WTOP, she was the opinion team editor at a student publication and a content specialist at an HBCU in Detroit.
ciara.wells@wtop.com