Del Rey Yacht Loaded with Ammunition and Fireworks Catches Fire

A luxury yacht carrying 1,000 rounds of ammunition and fireworks erupted in flames Wednesday night September 18 in Marina del Rey, causing explosions and a massive fire that took hours to extinguish. The yacht, which was approximately 100 feet long, eventually sank, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD).

The fire was first reported around 8:30 p.m. at 2201 Basin A, LACoFD said in an initial statement. Two passengers aboard the yacht were able to escape without injury, but authorities continued battling the flames for several hours. The boat, fully engulfed in flames, reportedly discharged 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the water before it submerged.

Witnesses described the dramatic scene, with flames shooting 20 to 30 feet into the air and live ammunition rounds heard exploding from the vessel. "I saw it fully engulfed in flames and, like many of us living here, heard an explosion," said Lynn Rose, a local resident, to NBC4 Los Angeles.

By 10:33 p.m., firefighters managed to knock down the blaze, but the yacht had already been completely submerged, according to a follow-up statement by LACoFD. Officials said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, and no firefighter injuries were reported.

The vessel, named the Admiral, had been carrying both fireworks and ammunition, leading to concerns about environmental hazards, especially after the massive fuel spill, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. An environmental hazard team was dispatched to assess and contain the damage. According to a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard, they are coordinating cleanup efforts alongside Patriot Environmental Services, Clean Harbors, and California's Department of Fish and Wildlife, as reported by ABC7 Los Angeles.

Residents in Marina del Rey had were concerned over the loud explosions and feared the fire might spread to nearby boats. Fire Captain Pono Barnes of LACoFD told NBC4 that there was a delicate balance in extinguishing the fire while trying not to sink the vessel, given the environmental hazards posed by its fuel and cargo.