A possible boat explosion near Haulover Sandbar hospitalized at least 11 people over the weekend, prompting an emergency response by multiple agencies.
Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Juan Arias told USA TODAY that first responders were dispatched to the area at around 12:48 p.m. on May 9, after the explosion was initially reported. MDFR, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife were all involved in what fire crews called a “mass casualty incident,” according to the Miami Herald.
Crews treated 11 people on scene before transporting them to area hospitals. Arias told USA TODAY that some sustained burn injuries, but did not comment on the full extent of their conditions.
What caused the possible boat explosion?
According to reporting by USA TODAY, the cause of the possible explosion was still under investigation on May 10. Someone claiming to have witnessed the explosion told CBS12 that the boat’s hatches were allegedly not open when the ignition was started.
The boat involved in the incident is a Press Cruiser 400 Express, a 40-foot cabin cruiser called Nauti Nabors that’s from Sherman, Texas, according to reporting by the Miami Herald. According to databases maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, the vessel is certified for recreational use.
Someone who told the Herald that he was on board said a gas leak caused the explosion.
On May 10, Ruth Gutierrez told NBC6 that she was on board the boat, along with 12 others. Before the explosion, Gutierrez, who NBC6 reported suffered burns along her right arm, said she smelled a strong odor of gasoline.
“I was the one who got lucky, because everyone else is currently in intensive care, suffering from ruptures, burns of varying degrees, and facial burns,” she told NBC6.
So far, according to NBC6, Gutierrez is the only one of those hospitalized who has been released.
The USA TODAY Network has reached out to Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue for an update on the situation.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami boat explosion that injured 11 update and what’s known
Reporting by Sarah Perkel, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
