Two boats exploded off Fort Lauderdale within 5 months. Tips to avoid a similar fate
Two boats have burst into flames off Fort Lauderdale waters over the past five months.
One was at a marina in December; the other happened on Memorial Day, when a 39-foot Sea Ray exploded in the Intracoastal Waterway near the New River sandbar.
READ MORE: ‘A fireball.’ Fuel vapors likely caused Fort Lauderdale boat explosion, fire rescue says
So, how does a boat explode, and what can you do to prevent it?
In 2023, 689 boating accidents in Florida were reported, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 2024 annual report. Of those, 33 involved boat fires and explosions. Of the 33, half of the explosions involved fuel, the data shows.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said Tuesday the Memorial Day blast, which injured 11 of the 15 on board, including two children, was likely caused by fuel vapors that ignited a flash fire when the boat was started as it was leaving the sandbar.
In the Dec. 24 crash, a man was killed and five others were injured as the boat was being fueled at the Lauderdale Marina near the 15th Street Fisheries.
READ MORE: ‘Man, it was bad.’ A Canadian man was killed, 5 hurt in boat blast at Broward marina
Here are key boating safety tips from three experts:
Turn on blower
Before venturing onto the waters, Chris Saltzburg, a Fort Lauderdale yacht broker with Yacht Experts LLC, recommends that boaters open their engine compartment and turn on the blower fan, which ventilates and removes gas fumes or any accumulated gasoline, for three to five minutes.
Boats have ventilation switches on the dash panel that should be switched on every time a boat is used.
While the fan airs out the vessel, boaters should smell for gas vapors, which are easily combustible, said Saltzburg, who posts boating safety videos on YouTube. When a boat’s engine is turned on, a small spark can quickly ignite into a blaze.
A few drops of gas is all it takes.
“These things can happen in fraction of seconds, and a fire extinguisher is not going to do much,” he said.
Frank Guzman, a spokesperson for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, which was at the scene of the Memorial Day explosion, said the Sea Ray went up in flames like “a fireball.” The agency is investigating the source of the vapors and ignition, he added.
Robert Dube, a now-retired FWC officer of more than three decades, also said most boat explosions happen with inboard engine boats, either when they’re fueling or just after fueling.
“This is when the fuel vapors are still trapped in the engine compartment,” Dube said.
Proper boat maintenance
He, too, stressed the importance of ventilating the area using blowers when filling up a boat. Also important is proper maintenance of the boat — either with inboard or outboard engines.
“When you’re getting your boat serviced, make sure it’s done by a certified mechanic,” he said.
Saltzburg also urged boat owners to regularly check their vessel’s hoses for leaks and replace them if they are damaged.
“There’s no reason for this stuff to be happening,” Saltzburg said. “It’s an absolute tragedy.”
Florida doesn’t mandate boat safety course for all
Boat operators not being fully trained can also be a factor in these incidents. Under Florida law, anyone born after Jan. 1, 1988, has to complete a boating safety course. But those born before that year don’t have to take the course.
Lucy’s Law, a boater safety bill named after a teen girl killed in a 2022 Biscayne Bay boat crash that the Florida Legislature passed in early May, would have mandated that anyone living in Florida for less than five years, regardless of age, would have to take a boating safety course.
But, state lawmakers removed that provision of the law in the hours before passing the legislation.
This story was originally published May 27, 2025 at 4:42 PM.
