A cargo ship caught fire in Baltimore Harbor near the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to officials. No injuries have been reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Maryland Department of Emergency Management said<\/a> Monday it was aware of the cargo ship fire near the Baltimore harbor and reported no injuries or property damage beyond the vessel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Baltimore City Fire Department told WJZ-TV<\/a> that an under-deck fire produced heavy smoke, though it has not been confirmed as an explosion. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reported blast occurred at about 6:28 p.m. and was captured on a camera overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Footage showed a large fireball rising from the ship\u2019s forward hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some residents reported an explosion when the fire broke out. \u201cIt shook my whole house,\u201d said local resident Noah Bennet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maritime expert Sal Mercogliano<\/a> said the vessel involved may be the MV W Sapphire, a bulk carrier bound for Mauritius. The ship has been escorted off Fort Howard, and fire crews and U.S. Coast Guard vessels are on scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The incident occurred near the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in March 2024 after being struck by a container ship, killing six construction workers and disrupting traffic at the Port of Baltimore for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just witnessed an explosion in the Baltimore Harbor south on the former Key Bridge pic.twitter.com\/7flRHTm97A<\/a><\/p>— PeaceForJ (@barcodeman) August 18, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>