CCNI Arauco
On September 1, the 300 meter long, 112,588 dwt container ship CCNI Arauco caught fire while berthed in Hamburg, Germany. The fire started while welding work on a container in the aft cargo hold. The welding caused a deflagration where the container caught fire. The flames then spread through the lower decks. A large plume of smoke reaching over 50 meters high could be seen from the aft hold of the CCNI Arauco. Some 300 fire fighters along with several fire boats arrived on scene. Initial attempts to douse the flames using carbon dioxide were unsuccessful.
The fire continued to burn the following day. Some 5,000 cubic meters of water was pumped into the vessel, but the use of water was halted when concerns over the stability of the boxship. The next day, firefighters used foam to final extinguish the blaze. Reports state the fire was so hot that many containers had partially melted or deformed. Three persons on board suffered minor injuries and were later taken to hospital.
