JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Nine firefighters responding to a fire aboard a ship in Florida have been hospitalized after the ship exploded, injuring eight and sending one to a hospital for heat exhaustion, authorities said.
The explosion occurred nearly three hours after firefighters first responded to a ship at Blount Island after reports of a fire on Thursday afternoon, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department tweeted.
The ship, a Norwegian vessel called Hoegh Xiamen was carrying old and used cars and had been scheduled to leave Jacksonville, First Coast News reported.
More than 20 crew members on the ship during the initial fire were able to safely get off before the explosion occurred, according to the U.S.