A deadly explosion occurred Monday afternoon on a boat docked at the marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resulting in one fatality and injuries to five others.

According to footage first aired by NBC 6 and later shared on the platform X, the explosion caused the boat to split in half horizontally.

Eyewitnesses at a nearby restaurant reported seeing the boat being refueled before the explosion. “I heard a massive blast and looked over to see a woman on the second floor of the boat,” one witness stated.

Boat explosion and fire occurred at a Fort Lauderdale marina around 5:55 PM. Several people were injured.

Footage is courtesy of EarthCam. pic.twitter.com/ZbvUKqhymJ

— David Vergel (@DavidVergel97) December 24, 2024

During the incident, a second smaller boat caught fire, heightening the panic at the scene.

Five individuals were evacuated from the area and taken to nearby hospitals, with three of them suffering serious injuries, according to authorities.

The body of the deceased victim was later found in the water by divers. “This boat is completely gone,” said Tamer Dimyanti, an employee at the nearby restaurant where the explosion took place.

“After that, I ran over to see if anyone needed help. One man was on fire, another was in the water. It was chaos in an instant,” he added.

Firefighters took approximately two hours to bring the deadly blaze under control, according to the Miami Herald.