At least 11 people were wounded Saturday – some suffering serious burns and trauma injuries – when an explosion ripped through a boat near the Haulover sandbar.
Miami-Dade fire and rescue crews, along with the US Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, were dispatched to the scene at approximately 12:45 p.m. local time. Due to the number of people wounded, the incident was classified as a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident.
Eyewitnesses at the scene described harrowing scenes. Patrick Lee, a boat rental business owner who was nearby, said he watched three people get thrown into the air by the force of the blast. He said the accident appeared to be caused by human error. "He was in a rush, people got on board, he turned the key without opening the vents or running the blowers – and just blew people off the boat," Lee said. He added that within minutes, the entire boat was engulfed in flames and that the wounded were carried off on stretchers with serious burns from the gasoline fire.
The vessel involved was "Nauti Nabors", a 40-foot yacht registered in Texas. While the US Coast Guard database lists it as a recreational vessel, Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said it had been operating as a charter boat. The circumstances of the explosion and fire are now under formal investigation, though authorities have not yet officially confirmed the technical cause of the blast.
In the wake of the incident, Miami fire officials are urging boaters to take strict safety precautions, especially during this season when waterways are crowded with vessels. Experts are stressing the importance of having an experienced operator or captain on board, and are urging boat owners to ensure they have working communication devices, life jackets, and fire extinguishers on hand in the event of a sudden fire.
