- A fire aboard the Alaskan cargo ship Genius Star XI was extinguished after burning in the ship's hold for several days.
- The crew alerted the Coast Guard about the fire early Thursday morning, and emergency measures were taken to prevent an explosion.
- The cargo ship was diverted to Dutch Harbor to reduce the risk to the community and environment from toxic gases produced by the fire.
After a lithium-ion battery burned for days in the hold of a large cargo ship, the U.S. Coast Guard announced late Saturday that the fire had been extinguished and ordered the ship to anchor near Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
A press release from the Coast Guard said none of the 19 crew members on board the Genius Star
“This protected berth will allow the ship to remain stable and minimize the risk of a fire flare-up while we continue our response,” Captain Chris Culpepper said in a press release. An investigation into the cause of the fire was announced. Response work will begin as soon as it is completed.
Large cargo ship fire extinguishes naturally after about a week, rescue operations underway
The Genius Star XI was transporting lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to San Diego. The crew reported the fire to the Coast Guard early Thursday after injecting carbon dioxide into the first hold where the fire broke out and sealing it up for fear of an explosion.
On December 29, 2023, a fire was reported aboard the 410-foot cargo ship Genius Star XI, approximately 320 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The fire in the hold of the large cargo ship was extinguished on December 30th. The U.S. Coast Guard said the fire continued for several days. (Lt. Col. Michael Salerno/U.S. Coast Guard, via AP, File)
The Coast Guard diverted the 410-foot cargo ship to Dutch Harbor, one of the nation's largest fishing ports, in Unalaska, in the Aleutian Islands, about 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage.
A cargo ship carrying 3,000 cars catches fire in the North Sea.One crew member killed, others injured
Genius Star Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Mike Salerno said in an email to The Associated Press.
The ship's owner, Wisdom Marine Group, said there was no oil leak associated with the fire.
