The living area is an inland ship on Sunday afternoon to get the Mittellandkanal between Hille and Lübbecke-Gehlen Beck on fire.
Police said the fire had broken out against 15.40 clock on the moving ship and was later spread to the engine room.
A 26-year-old sailor was with the suspect admitted to smoke inhalation in a hospital.
The Midland Canal is closed to vessel traffic. The freighter was on the afternoon of Duisburg road towards Minden, when the captain noticed the fire on board.
According to the accident site, the ship has loaded 1200 tons of fuel oil. The cargo was not damaged by the fire, according to initial estimates, there should have been no environmental damage from oil.
The fire is going on from both sides against the fire, the ship is permanently located in the channel of any waterway is impossible at this point.
By recurring embers prepare the military people up in the evening a lot of work. An expert on ship accidents in Dusseldorf has been requested.
A total of 70 firefighters are involved in the use, in addition on site are also forces of police and water police.