A horrific boat explosion in South Florida waters left 11 people, including a child, hospitalized for severe burns and other traumatic injuries Saturday.
Over 25 Miami-Dade fire rescue units along with the US Coast Guard arrived at the scene after repeated calls of a boat blast near the Haulover Sandbar, a bustling tourist hotspot in Miami, came in around 12:48 p.m., officials said.Â
A child suffered burns on 18% of his body, and an adult was burned on roughly 30% of his frame, the Miami Herald reported.Â
Officials designated the incident as a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident due to the number of victims. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue originally claimed 15 poeple were hospitalized, but later reduced the number of casualties to 11.Â
Victims, many of whom were stranded in the water, were transported on lifeboats to nearby fuel docks before being rushed to a local hospital, according to dispatch audio.
Air rescue teams also transported people to safety.
A witness who claimed he was on the boat that exploded – a 40-foot Press Cruiser 4400 Express named Nauti Nabor from Texas – told the outlet that a gas leak had caused the blast.Â
“It was the worst experience of my life,†the man, who was identified only as Leo, said.Â
Fire crews said the explosion may have come from the boat’s fuel tank; its captain was not injured in the blast.Â
Local Tiki boat operator Patrick Lee said he saw people being thrown off the boat with severe burns as he was transporting customers onto his own vessel.
“When we looked back out, we saw three people being thrown off the boat in a puff of smoke,†he told the Miami Herald. A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesperson reminded the community to proiritize safety during boating season in a statement.Â
“Make sure your vessel is equipped with a working fire extinguisher and all required safety equipment,†the spokesperson said.
