The explosion occurred on Saturday around 12.45 local time (6.45 p.m. Polish time) near the popular Haulover Sandbar. The Miami-Dade County Fire Department dispatched more than 25 rescue units to the scene. Officers from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also participated in the operation.
Rescuers found the injured with various injuries – including burns and severe mechanical injuries – reports CBS News. Rescue teams declared a Level II mass incident due to the large number of injured.
The helmsman could have ignored the procedures
The captain of a boat passing nearby, Robert Lee, described how the accident occurred. — We saw three people thrown overboard by the force of the explosion. The helmsman was clearly in a hurry and started the engine without opening the hatches or turning on the fans. That's when the explosion happened, Lee said. His observations are consistent with Reuters reports about a possible gas or fuel leak as the cause of the explosion. Witnesses reported that the boat quickly burst into flames.
Reuters, citing witnesses, reported that the probable cause of the accident was a gas or fuel leak. The services have not officially confirmed the direct cause of the explosion.
After this accident, rescue services emphasize the importance of basic water safety rules.
