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Category: Fire

Morning Midas

Morning Midas

Morning Midas
Photo: USCG

Around midnight on June 3, the 183 meter long, 12250 dwt car carrier Morning Midas (IMO: 9289910) caught fire in the North Pacific Ocean some 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska. The Morning Midas departed from Yantai, China with over 3100 vehicles with 65 electric and over 600 hybrid vehicles bound for Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. While en route the crew detected smoke from one of the vehicle decks. The crew attempted to contain the blaze by using the vessel’s onboard fire suppression system.  Unfortunately, the system was unable to stop the blaze which continued to spread to other decks on the vessel.

By the afternoon of June 3, the fire was out of control and the crew alerted the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard sent out a broadcast alerting vessels in the area to assist while multiple Coast Guard aircraft were deployed from bases in Adak and Kodiak. The 22 crew on board the Morning Midas safely evacuated into the vessel’s life raft and were rescued by the 355.5 meter long containership Cosco Hellas (IMO: 9308510) which had responded to the distress call.  There were no injuries reported.

Morning Midas
Photo: USCG

The Coast Guard has stated they are monitoring the car carrier as smoke could still be seen billowing out from its decks. The vessels owners have arranged for a tug with firefighting equipment be sent in the hope the fire can be extinguished and the Morning Midas can be taken under tow. News reports state the fire may have started by possibly one of the lithium-ion batteries used by electric cars. If a lithium-ion battery fire is not detected early, there is a high risk of a runaway thermal reaction.

The Coast Guard is also monitoring the situation for possible oil pollution if the Morning Midas sinks before the fire is extinguished. Reports state there is 350 tons of diesel and 1530 tons of fuel oil on board the car carrier.

 

 

Barge Fire in Maashaven

Barge Fire in Maashaven

Barge Fire
Photo: rijnmond.nl

On the morning of May 27, a barge caught fire on the Nieuwe Maas River while berthed at Maashaven in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The fire ignited in a barge containing household waste resulting in clouds of smoke from the hold. Area residents were asked to keep windows and doors closed from the smoke. The local fire brigade and the 28 meter long fireboat RPA 10 were called to the scene. Their efforts got the fire under control a short time later and the blaze was extinguished within a few hours.

No reports of injuries.  Damage to the barge from the fire was not disclosed. The barge would be later towed to Rozenburg where the waste cargo is to be unloaded.

 

L’En-ma

L’En-ma

L'En-ma
Photo: lamanchelibre.fr

On the early morning of May 20, the 16 meter long fishing vessel L’En-ma (IMO: 8543890) caught fire in the English Channel while berthed at a quay in Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, France. The local fire brigade found the vessel completely engulphed in flames. Some 50 fire fighters were mobilized to tackle the blaze. After 6 hours, the fire was extinguished. Authorities placed booms around the L’En-ma to contain any pollution released.

Fire damage to the L’En-ma was extensive, but the fishing vessel was still reported afloat. There were no reports of injuries from the incident. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.