A new 911 call captured the frantic moments after a boat explosion in Dania Beach that killed a marina worker and left four other people injured last week.
New 911 calls captured the frantic moments after a boat explosion in Dania Beach that killed a marina worker and left four other people injured last week.
The explosion happened Friday afternoon at Nautical Ventures Marina off Ravenswood Road while the boat was reportedly being refueled.
"Big explosion, people is injured…please guys, we need you ASAP!" a man who apparently works at the marina said in one of the 911 calls obtained by NBC6 on Tuesday. "Major accident, boat exploded on us, when we were working."
Authorities and workers said the explosion happened as a 50-foot boat was being readied for the upcoming Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
"Please, hurry up, oh my God!" the worker yells in the 911 call. "It's bad, it's terrible…it's a major emergency!"
The employee is later heard yelling at other workers to move a fuel truck at the marina.
Local
"We need to move the fuel truck ASAP! Fuel truck needs to be moved!" he yells, before he addresses the dispatcher again. "There is a fuel truck on fire, if you guys don't hurry up the fuel truck is gonna explode."
After a few moments, the employee turns his attention back to the other workers at the scene.
"We need to get the f--- out of here, bro, get out of here," he's heard saying. "Everybody back up, that s--- is gonna explode badly bro, back up, back up, everybody needs to back up!"
In a second call, another man who said he's an employee is heard imploring for help.
"We have a boat that exploded right now, I see fire coming, the whole thing, we need a fire truck," he tells the dispatcher. "The boat exploded, there was people in the boat so we might need also ambulances."
"It's catching fire real quick right now," he later added.
A man who was passing by on his boat and witnessed the explosion is also heard in one of the calls.
"A boat just blew up and the people are hurt…the boat's on fire," the man says in the call. "People are hurt…I saw a couple guys fly off the boat."
Later in the call, popping noises can be heard in the background as the fire rages.
"You hear it, right?" the witness asks the dispatcher.
"I hear popping noises, what am I hearing?" the dispatcher asks.
"That's the fire, that's still blowing off the boat," the man responds.
The worker killed in the explosion was identified in a GoFundMe as Benjamin "Benny" Berestovoy, a marine technician who worked at the marina and was originally from Paraguay. He leaves behind three children and a wife.
Berestovoy was reportedly refueling the boat when the explosion happened.
Nautical Ventures' CEO said they're cooperating with the investigation into the explosion.
"During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the those impacted. We are committed to supporting their loved ones and assisting authorities in every possible way," CEO Roger Moore's statement read.
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the explosion.
