- Explosion cause under investigation; gas leak suspected by witness.
At least 11 people were injured on Saturday after a suspected boat explosion near Miami’s popular Haulover Sandbar in Biscayne Bay, prompting a large-scale emergency response involving local fire rescue teams and the US Coast Guard.
According to preliminary information released by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the explosion occurred onboard a charter vessel carrying passengers near the popular sandbar area off the coast of Miami, Associated Press reported.
Large Emergency Response Launched
The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said more than two dozen rescue units responded to the incident at around 12:48 p.m. after receiving reports of a possible boat explosion.
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Emergency personnel arriving at the scene found “multiple patients requiring medical attention,” the agency said in a statement.
Officials confirmed that 11 injured people were transported to nearby hospitals. Authorities did not immediately provide details on the severity of the injuries.
Juan Arias, battalion chief with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told local media that some victims suffered burns and traumatic injuries following the blast.
Cause Of Explosion Under Investigation
Authorities said the cause of the explosion remains unclear.
Local reports indicated that around 14 people were believed to have been onboard the charter boat when the blast occurred.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said an investigation into the incident is underway. The United States Coast Guard was also among the emergency agencies responding to the scene.
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Officials have not revealed a cause for the incident. But in an interview with the Miami Herald, one person who was on the vessel blamed a gas leak, Reuters reported.
Eyewitness Describes Scene
The explosion occurred near the well-known Haulover Sandbar, a major boating and recreation destination that attracts large crowds of tourists, spring breakers, kayakers and local visitors each year.
Patrick Lee, a local businessman who was transporting people on another vessel nearby, described witnessing the aftermath of the explosion.
“When we looked back out, we saw three people flying off the boat in a puff of smoke,” Lee told the Miami Herald.
