Nine people were injured after a boat exploded on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in Maryland during Fourth of July celebrations, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.
How the explosion happened
The blast occurred just before 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Chesapeake City, located northeast of Baltimore near the Delaware border. The boat had just finished refueling on the water outside Schaefer’s Canal House, a seafood restaurant along the canal, when the explosion occurred.
Several details have emerged about the scope of the incident.
- Seven people aboard the boat were injured, along with two dock workers standing nearby.
- Four people were airlifted to area hospitals with serious burns.
- Five others were treated for smoke inhalation and additional injuries.
- The vessel involved was identified as a 1988 Wellcraft 32 foot cruiser, according to information from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Those injured range widely in age
Officials confirmed the injured included a 16 year old boy and a 19 year old man from Elkton, Delaware, along with a 31 year old woman and a 31 year old man from Newark, Delaware, all of whom sustained serious burns. Two dock workers, ages 18 and 20, were taken to a hospital as a precaution due to concerns about smoke inhalation. Additional injuries were reported among a 23 year old, a 21 year old man and a 50 year old man.
What the scene looked like afterward
Photos released by the fire marshal’s office showed the boat’s interior seating scattered and torn apart from the force of the explosion, though the vessel’s exterior remained largely intact. Fire officials, paramedics and multiple local agencies responded to the scene, coordinating both air and ground transport for the injured.
Investigation focuses on fuel system failure
By 9 p.m. Saturday, deputy state fire marshals had cleared the scene, though the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Officials indicated a possible failure to activate the fuel vapor blower fan, or to allow it to properly ventilate after refueling, has not been ruled out as a contributing factor. The investigation remains active as authorities continue examining the vessel and gathering additional information.
Part of a broader wave of holiday weekend boating accidents
The Maryland explosion adds to a string of serious boating incidents across the country over the holiday weekend. In Wisconsin, three people, believed to be children under age 13, died after a boat capsized on Geneva Lake during a sudden severe storm, with seven of the ten people aboard rescued. In Oregon, a woman died and four others were injured after a boat struck a dock structure on the Willamette River near Sauvie Island outside Portland, with the woman pronounced dead at the scene and the remaining victims suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation into the Maryland explosion continues as authorities work to determine the precise cause and whether any safety protocols were not properly followed during refueling. No additional injuries or fatalities have been reported since the initial incident, and officials have not indicated whether any charges are expected as the investigation moves forward.
This story was originally reported by PEOPLE.