[CondorFlight]

What causes a boat to explode? Sinking I can understand; but explode?

(next question: who was on the boat?)

[mplc51]

Diving boat, ALL crew escaped. Odd

[aynrandfreak]

Oxygen tanks for diving could explode

[BenLurkin]

Scuba Charter named the Conception. Fires at sea happen.

[hanamizu]

What causes a boat to explode?

---

As I understand it, from working on a fishing boat long ago, a propane leak all ends up in the bilge—and a boat’s machinery is in the bilge area as well. Not saying this was the cause, but you asked how such a thing could happen.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Explosions can occur on boats from fuel Vapors, particularly propane vapor. Of course any boat would have sensors to detect the presence of such Vapors and would trigger alarms. But propane in particular is heavier than air and can accumulate in the lowest part of the hull for any length of time, to reach an explosive level. It is exceptionally implausible that such a thing might have happened, given that there are sensors, alarms and routine venting of these areas. But these accidents occur often under unbelievable conditions. I had a roommate who used to go out on those boats all the time, complete diving fanatic.

[Toespi]

Lots of things can make a boat explode, primarily bulge fumes.

[Tailback]

Fuel fumes igniting. Propane leaking and settling in the bilge. Lots of stuff can go wrong. There’s a reason why USCG inspections are so stringent.

[nuconvert]

I don’t know if anyone has confirmed that the fire started with an explosion. An explosion may have occurred after the fire began.

[Patriot Babe]

That is a good question because there has been boat tragedies but it never got a response from numerous politicians unlike this one. Kamala Harris, Ted Lieu, Diane Feinstein tweeted out on this boat tragedy. Perhaps more lives were lost in this incident than others.

[A Navy Vet]

Fuel leakage being vaporized from poor maintenance. It happens all the time. Years ago, I had a 25' Sun Bridge docked in Huntington Beach. A couple slips down a similar boat exploded. The cause was a fuel leak in the engine compartment that built up vapors and ignited spontaneously in the heat of summer at it's flash point. Yes, fuel vapors can do that if the conditions are right. Ask any Fireman.

In the Navy, I was shown you could drop a cigarette in a gallon of JP5 and it would go out. Confine that same fuel to build vapors and it will ignite/explode. Just like brush fires, it's not always the plant that ignites, but the vapors that build over the summer months. That's why the worst place forest fire-fighters can be is at the bottom of a hill/ravine when the fire comes over the ridge. The fuel vapors are there and will flash fire. I think that is what happened to the Prescott Granite Mountain Hot-Shots in the movie, "Only The Brave". Good movie but heart-breaking - wiped out the entire crew.

[al baby]

Propane

[elteemike]

Propane leak? I’m guessing heating systems were in use as it can get chilly overnight on the water...