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About a dozen people were taken to hospitals with injuries Saturday after emergency officials responded to a boat explosion near Miami, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue agency said.A charter boat was in Biscayne Bay, near Haulover Sandbar, when an explosion occurred on board, injuring the passengers, according to preliminary information provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.More than two dozen rescue units responded to the incident around 12:48 p.m. and “encountered multiple patients requiring medical attention,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a statement. The agency said it transported 11 people to local hospitals.At least one pediatric patient was injured with burns on 18% of the body, the Miami Herald reported. One adult had more than 30% of his body burned.A boat captain who identified as Leo told Miami television station WPLG that a boat exploded during startup, likely because of a gas leak, and it was the “scariest moment” of his life.“When we looked back out, we saw three people flying off the boat and a puff of smoke,” said Patrick Lee, a witness who added he saw victims “very badly burned” in stretchers.Video below: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to reports of a possible vessel explosionThe state Conservation Commission said an investigation is underway.The U.S. Coast Guard was among the emergency crews that responded.The boat is a Press Cruiser 400 Express, a 40-foot cabin cruiser called Nauti Nabor from Sherman, Texas, the Miami Herald reported.The sandbar is famous for a vibrant party atmosphere, crystal-clear turquoise waters and a unique “boat-up” where visitors can enjoy food from floating vendors and social gatherings.The Associated Press contributed to this report
About a dozen people were taken to hospitals with injuries Saturday after emergency officials responded to a boat explosion near Miami, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue agency said.
A charter boat was in Biscayne Bay, near Haulover Sandbar, when an explosion occurred on board, injuring the passengers, according to preliminary information provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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More than two dozen rescue units responded to the incident around 12:48 p.m. and “encountered multiple patients requiring medical attention,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a statement. The agency said it transported 11 people to local hospitals.
At least one pediatric patient was injured with burns on 18% of the body, the Miami Herald reported. One adult had more than 30% of his body burned.
A boat captain who identified as Leo told Miami television station WPLG that a boat exploded during startup, likely because of a gas leak, and it was the “scariest moment” of his life.
“When we looked back out, we saw three people flying off the boat and a puff of smoke,” said Patrick Lee, a witness who added he saw victims “very badly burned” in stretchers.
Video below: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to reports of a possible vessel explosion
The state Conservation Commission said an investigation is underway.
The U.S. Coast Guard was among the emergency crews that responded.
The boat is a Press Cruiser 400 Express, a 40-foot cabin cruiser called Nauti Nabor from Sherman, Texas, the Miami Herald reported.
The sandbar is famous for a vibrant party atmosphere, crystal-clear turquoise waters and a unique “boat-up” where visitors can enjoy food from floating vendors and social gatherings.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
