Officials report that nearly a dozen individuals, among them two children, were taken to the hospital following a boat explosion and subsequent fire in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Memorial Day evening.
The incident was reported around 5:45 p.m. Monday near the New River Triangle, not far from the Lauderdale Yacht Club on Southeast 12th Court.
U.S. Coast Guard officials said there were 13 people on board the boat when there was an explosion.
The cause of the boat explosion remains unknown, according to Frank Guzman, spokesperson for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. He stated, “A vessel exploded, causing people to be thrown into the water. Helpful bystanders immediately intervened to rescue them. The exact cause is still under investigation, with a fire investigator currently at the site.”
Footage from a surveillance camera captured the moment the fireball erupted on the boat, and showed multiple people spilling into the water.
Guzman confirmed there were 11 patients, including two children, who were initially taken to Broward Health Medical Center.
Guzman noted that “Several patients sustained serious burns and are being transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital, known for its burn unit. Many suffered burns over large portions of their bodies.”
Officials at Jackson Memorial said they received 10 patients, including eight adults who were in good condition and two children who were in fair condition. One patient had to be intubated.
Antonio Rivero said he was with family members on the boat when it went up in flames.
“Tried to fuel up the boat, and must have been a gas leak and, you know, spark went off and explosion,” Rivero said. “One of the guys’ pants were blown off, so it was bad.”
Rivero, 32, suffered burns to his arm, but his wife, Cassandra, and their two children remained hospitalized Monday night.
“They’re OK because they’re on a lot of meds, but other than that they’re fine,” he said.
At least one witness reported seeing an explosion and said they saw multiple people with burn injuries who were brought to the yacht club docks.
The victims had burned legs and bathing suits that appeared ripped and burned to shreds, the witness said.
Two other witnesses said they were on a dinghy at the sandbar when the boat exploded.
“When they went to start their boat up, it just exploded. There was a huge fireball and people were kind of falling off the boat,” Bret Triano said. “We were at the sandbar too and we just tried to go help out.”
Triano and Marisa Toomesn were able to rescue some of the victims.
“There were a couple boats trying to pick people up and one guy just didn’t get picked up so we went over to him,” Triano said. “He was screaming.”
“He was burned pretty badly,” Toomesn said.
“He was saying, ‘Save me. Please, don’t let me die. I’m so hot, I need water,’” Triano said. “He just kept repeating, ‘I want water, I want water.’”
Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed Fort Lauderdale Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Broward Sheriff’s Office assisting Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.
Crews were seen examining the boat involved, which was tied up to a nearby sea wall.
Guzman said crews also rescued a dog that had been on the boat that wasn’t injured.
The FWC and fire officials will investigate the cause of the explosion.
