A suspected gasoline ignition aboard a cabin cruiser near Haulover Sandbar left 11 people injured.
A suspected boat explosion near Miami’s Haulover Sandbar on Saturday afternoon sent 15 people to receive medical attention, with 11 transported by emergency crews to area hospitals. The incident occurred around 12:45 p.m. local time on May 9, drawing a response from more than 25 units across four agencies including Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, an Ocean Rescue team, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue classified the event as a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident. Multiple victims sustained burn injuries from the explosion in addition to other traumatic trauma. The conditions of those hospitalized have not been publicly released, and the cause of the explosion remains under active investigation.
The boat involved was identified as a Press Cruiser 400 Express, a 40-foot cabin cruiser certified for recreational use according to U.S. Coast Guard records. The vessel was towed from the scene around 6 p.m.
What witnesses described
Those who saw the explosion from nearby boats described a scene that escalated with alarming speed. Patrick Lee, a boat charter captain who was in the area when the blast occurred, told reporters he watched three people get thrown from the vessel on impact. He described the fire as intense and fast-moving, consistent with high-octane gasoline igniting in an enclosed space.
Lee offered a theory about the cause based on what he observed. He said the boat operator appeared to start the ignition without first opening the hatches or running the blowers, a critical safety step on gasoline-powered vessels that allows fuel vapor to vent before any spark is introduced. When those steps are skipped, gasoline fumes can accumulate in the hull and ignite the moment the engine turns over.
Emergency crews arrived within minutes of the first reports, according to witnesses at the scene, who described passengers with burns from the explosion being removed from the water and carried away on stretchers.
One family’s account
Anthony Torres told local media that his wife Adriana Rojas was aboard the boat when the explosion occurred. She called him in the immediate aftermath, he said, screaming that she was burned and the boat had blown up. Rojas was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where Torres said she was treated for second-degree burns covering her legs, lower body, chest, left arm, and the left side of her body.
Boating safety at the center of the investigation
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Juan Arias used the incident to underscore basic boating safety practices, noting that the volume of watercraft on Miami’s waters this time of year makes preparedness especially important. Arias pointed to the importance of having a working marine radio, life vests, and fire extinguishers aboard, as well as ensuring that at least one experienced boater is present on any vessel.
The question of whether proper ventilation procedures were followed before ignition is expected to be a central focus of the ongoing investigation. No charges or citations had been publicly announced as of Sunday, May 10, and the FWC had not responded to requests for comment.
Haulover Sandbar is one of Miami’s most popular recreational boating destinations, drawing large crowds on weekends throughout the year for its shallow, clear water and proximity to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.