On May 9, several people were injured in a suspected boat explosion near the Haulover Sandbar in Miami, officials said. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported the call came in around 12:45 p.m., and crews responded alongside the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Fire Rescue personnel found multiple patients on scene with a range of injuries, including burns and more severe traumatic wounds, Battalion Chief Juan Arias said. Eleven people were transported to a local hospital for further care; their conditions were not immediately released. Because of the number of casualties and resource needs, the department upgraded the incident to a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident.
Authorities said the cause of the blaze and the possible explosion remain under investigation, and they have not yet confirmed that an explosion occurred.
Witness Patrick Lee, a nearby charter captain, described seeing people thrown from the vessel. “We saw three people fly out of the boat,” he said, alleging the operator started the boat without opening hatches or running blowers. “It was surrounded in flames within minutes. I saw a lot of them with burns all over them — it is quick, but it’s high octane gasoline, and so a lot of them got burnt and it was an explosion.” Lee said paramedics removed several victims on stretchers.
The Miami Herald reported the vessel later docked near the Haulover Marine Center and identified it as a 40-foot Press Cruiser 400 Express named Nauti Nabors, registered to Sherman, Texas. According to the Herald’s review of U.S. Coast Guard records, the boat was certified for recreational use; the FWC told CBS Miami the boat had been operating as a charter.
Fire officials urged boaters to take precautions when heading out: carry a radio, keep life vests accessible, have fire extinguishers on board, and ensure an experienced operator or captain is present. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.