Brand New Bulker Suffers Cargo Fire at Gran Canaria
After two days of firefighting, a cargo fire in the holds of a freighter at a port in the Canary Islands has finally been brought under control, and first responders have covered the bulk cargo with foam to prevent a reflash.
At about 1630 hours local time on Monday, a fire broke out aboard the bulker Langeland at the port of Arinaga, an industrial terminal on the west side of Gran Canaria. The ship was loading a cargo of scrap metal at the time, and the fire started in the hold. According to local media, the crew attempted to close the hatches and use the vessel's fixed firefighting system, but the electrical hatch actuation system had already burned out and the hold could not be closed.
The majority of the crew evacuated the vessel, and local fire crews arrived to help the remaining seafarers combat the blaze. The port temporarily suspended operations and moved another nearby ship to a different berth as a precautionary measure.
Gran Canaria's firefighting forces brought a ladder truck to the scene and applied water from the shore. However, operations were paused late that night, as the responders did not want to jeopardize the ship's stability by adding too much firefighting water.
The fire died down overnight, but on Tuesday morning it picked up again, sending thick black smoke downwind away from the port. Firefighters resumed work with a combination of water and foam, supported from the water side by the fire monitors of a tugboat.
While the situation appeared dramatic, Las Palmas Maritime Authority chief Ignacio Gallego Carro told local media that the blaze was not a serious risk to the public. At about 1800 hours local time, the fire was brought under control at last.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze is under way, but local authorities suspect that the cargo self-ignited during loading, as occasionally happens with bulk scrap metal. The commodity is often contaminated with flammable materials, including some that are capable of igniting a fire, like damaged lithium-ion batteries.
Last month, a major fire broke out at a nearby scrap metal storage yard in the same industrial complex at Arinaga.
Langeland is a 5,000 dwt freighter flagged in Portugal and owned in Germany. She just entered service six months ago, in late May.
Ferry Crew and Firefighters Respond to Burning Boat Off Seattle
On Sunday afternoon, a boat caught fire just off the downtown Seattle waterfront, sparking a full-scale response from the Coast Guard and local fire and rescue agencies.
At about noon, the Coast Guard received a report of a boat on fire near Duwamish Head Light, just off the northern tip of West Seattle. The Seattle Fire Department dispatched the fireboat Chief Seattle to the scene, and Coast Guard Station Seattle dispatched two fast response boats. The ferry Chimacum diverted to assist, along with several other good Samaritan vessels.
The boat's owner quickly abandoned ship to escape the flames, and he was rescued by a good Samaritan vessel. He was transferred to shore for medical evaluation, and declined further assistance.
Chief Seattle arrived on scene and put out the fire, and the fireboat briefly took the wreck in tow. It was soon relieved by a commercial towing service operator, who towed the boat towards the 32nd Avenue West beach access point on the north side of the bay. Before it could arrive, the fire-damaged boat sank.
The wreck has been boomed off and a dive team will remove an estimated 250 gallons of fuel from the vessel's tanks. The owner has contracted with a salvor for the removal of the remains of the hull.
"It's crucial that mariners with installed VHF radios onboard monitor Channel 16 for incidents like these," said Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Bower, the commanding officer of Station Seattle. "Our Coast Guard Reservists were able to respond alongside our Seattle Fire partners and confirm no additional people were in the water with the Good Samaritan on scene."
Orange Juice Tanker Rescues Skipper From Burning Yacht on the High Seas
On Friday, a good Samaritan ship rescued a yachtsman whose vessel caught fire in the Atlantic off Puerto Rico.
That morning, Sector San Juan received an alert from an unregistered EPIRB at a position about 400 nautical miles to the north. The station's watchstanders issued an alert to nearby shipping and sent an AMVER request for assistance from merchant vessels. The fruit juice tanker Orange Ocean diverted to the scene and arrived shortly after.
On arrival, Orange Ocean's crew reported that a sailing vessel was on fire and at risk of sinking. They launched their rescue boat and retrieved the yachtsman, who was in good health.
Courtesy Orange Ocean crew / USCG
The yacht was the 46-foot monohull sailing vessel Poesterd, flagged in Poland. The skipper has been identified as Kirill Vladimirovich Mikhaylov, 53, a resident of St. Kitts and Nevis.
"The meticulous coordination and communication between Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders and the AMVER vessel Orange Ocean crew played a crucial role in saving the life of this fortunate boater," said Adam Johns, a Sector San Juan SAR coordinator. "This case shows the deep gratitude we have for our AMVER merchant vessels at sea, as well as the importance of having the proper emergency equipment."
Orange Ocean is a 24,000 dwt refrigerated fruit juice tanker, and is operated by a Swiss shipmanagement company specializing in this niche trade.
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