LA Container Ship Fire Under ‘Suppression’: Officials

LOS ANGELES, CA — After an electrical fire broke out Friday night on a container ship, “suppression and salvage efforts” are underway Saturday evening, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a news release.

The fire on the container ship, One Henry Hudson, docked at San Pedro Port, elicited a massive emergency response and a shelter-in-place for nearby neighborhoods, Patch previously reported.

The ship’s fire broke out at 701 East New Dock Street at 6:38 p.m. on Friday and continued to burn into the morning.

Nearly 125 firefighters responded to the blaze, including those from heavy rescue, hazmat, urban search and rescue, fire boats, and air operations units.

Personnel from the Long Beach Fire Department and Port Police also assisted.

On Friday, fire was visible on several levels of the 1,100-foot vessel as LAFD crews worked to confirm all 23 crew members were accounted for and safely off the ship. Port Police and Customs personnel helped evacuate the crew from the ship, officials said.

Shortly before 8 p.m., an explosion on the mid-deck disrupted power, lights, and crane operations, according to the fire department.

LAFD captain Van Gerpen said fire crews had reported that at least 40 containers caught fire and that number might have risen to 100 after the blast. Six crewmembers who had been evacuated from the ship returned to assist firefighters navigating the lower compartments, he added.

"This is very rare that a ship catches on fire and we have to remove out of the port, but we wanted to have it safe for the residents of Wilmington and San Pedro," Van Gerpen said.