A explosion on a boat in the navy Fort Lauderdale It left a tragic balance of one dead and six people injured, according to local authorities. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon around 6:00 p.m. (local time) when the engines of an 11-meter (37-foot) sports boat ignited, causing an explosion that quickly sparked a fire. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)the deceased was identified as Sebastien Gauthier41 years old, originally from Quebec.
The deputy head of the Fort Lauderdale Firefighters, Garrett Pingoldescribed the chaotic scenes that followed the outbreak. “A boat explodes. “There is a boat on fire and there were people in the water,” he told the media. WSVN. In parallel, images obtained by EarthCam and shared with Infobae by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue show how the flames quickly consumed the affected boat, even spreading to another nearby boat.
After the explosion, witnesses reported shock and widespread panic. Maria Sanswho was with his family on a neighboring boat, told WSVN: “I was screaming, screaming, and then they told us we had to leave immediately. “I was trying to concentrate to know where my family was.” For its part, Tamer Dimiatia waiter at a nearby restaurant, explained to CBS News how he acted out of the impulse to help: “I ran over there to try to see if anyone needed help. One was on fire, another was in the water; everything was chaos”.
A joint team made up of Fort Lauderdale Firefightershe Broward County Sheriff’s Department (BSO) and the FWC conducted an intensive search in the water to locate an occupant reported missing. In statements to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescueit was confirmed that a diving team from BSO He found Gauthier’s body hours later in the waters adjacent to the marina. The identity of the other victims has not been revealed.
Five more people were injured during the incident, of which three were taken to the medical center Broward Health Medical Center with serious injuries. Three other victims were directed to local hospitals for medical attention. According to reports obtained by CBS Newsprecise details about the current conditions of the injured have not yet been released. “According to Fort Lauderdale Firefighters, five people “They were transported, three of them with traumatic injuries.”
Regarding the development of the fire, Dimiati told to CBS News who even tried to control the flames while the authorities arrived at the scene. “My manager and I closed the switch that cuts off the fuel supply, and we began to put out the fire with water. “I just tried to help until the firefighters took control,” said the witness. It should be noted that, according to firefighters, the flames were extinguished shortly after they started.
The explosion shocked those who were in the port area. “It was like a roar, and when I turned around, the entire dock was already on fire,” an anonymous witness stressed to WSVN. Another notable story came from Nate Hillwho declared to CBS News having felt the vibration in his body at the moment of the explosion: “It was a big explosion, I felt the vibration through my body”.
According to preliminary investigations, the damaged boat was near the fuel supply points behind the restaurant. 15th Street Fisherieswhich increased the degree of danger in the area. A surveillance video of EarthCamshared with Infobae by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, captured the exact moment the top of the boat flew into the air before falling back down, accompanied by increasingly uncontrollable flames.
Currently, the case is being led by the FWCwith the cooperation of multiple agencies such as Fort Lauderdale Firefightershe BSOthe city police and the United States Coast Guard. Although the specific causes of the incident have not been confirmed, it is hoped that a more thorough analysis of the vessel, once removed from the water, will provide greater clarity. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue clarified: “It is too early to speculate what the potential causes may be.”.
It is important to remember that this is not the first incident of this type in the Lauderdale Marinawhich also operates as a fuel supply station. According to WSVNa fire had recently been reported in the same location, which has generated concern among the community.
