Five people were injured, and one person was found dead following a boat explosion at the Lauderdale Marina, officials said.
It happened around 6 p.m. Dec. 23. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue (FLFR) received multiple 911 calls about an explosion and a vessel on fire.
Crews found significant fire on one boat prior to it quickly spreading to another.
Five people were taken to hospitals, three of whom are suffering from “traumatic injuries,” FLFR said.
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FLFR dive teams worked with Broward Sheriff’s Office to find a sixth victim deceased in the water.
“It was like a boom, kind of, and I turned around and the whole dock was already on fire,” a witness told local TV station WSVN. “It was engulfed in flames.”
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“I was screaming, screaming, and then they told us we have to get out right away. I was trying to focus to see where my family was,” Maria Sans told the media outlet.
A local waiter told the TV station he was taking an order when the explosion happened.
“All I saw was the boat just exploded and the top of the boat went up, and it came back down and the boat went into flames. I ran out there to try to see if anybody needed help…. I mean it was like chaos,” Tamer Dimiati said.
The dock where the explosion occurred is a refueling station, according to WSVN. A similar explosion and fire happened at the same location weeks prior.
FLFR cites patient privacy concerns for not identifying anyone involved. The department said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is the lead investigative agency looking into the cause of the explosion and subsequent fires.
“Once the vessels have been removed from the water and can be more closely examined by investigators, we will have a better idea,” FLFR said in a statement.
