CANADIAN firemen have reportedly contained a hazmat fire aboard the 4,253-TEU Zim Kingston anchored off five miles from Victoria, British Columbia, reports Toronto's Global News.
'No injuries were reported. The fire appears to have been contained,' said Athens-based ship manager danaos Shipping.
But the fire continues to smoulder in some containers on the Maltese-flagged ship, that continued to pose a danger the crew still aboard, with firefighting efforts hampered by gale force winds, reported the Associated Press.
The blaze centred on 10 containers aboard the ship chartered by Israeli flag carrier Zim Integrated Shipping Services. Earlier, 40 containers toppled into the sea earlier as the ship listed in heavy weather and the cargo toppled into the sea.
The Canadian Coast Guard said two of the burning containers contain hazardous potassium amylxanthateused in mining to separate ores.
The Canadian Coast Guard noted that the ship, in transit from Busan to Vancouver, itself was not on fire, but an emergency zone has been set up for one nautical mile around the ship.
The Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre in Victoria said 16 crew members had been safely taken off the ship, while five others, including the captain, remained on board.
'We can't see any scorching or charring of those adjacent containers. That's a really good sign,' said Canadian Coast Guard Commander JJ Brickett. 'The fire is smoldering as you would expect, and we're continuing to cool on either side.'
But the Canadian Coast Guard warned it would not immediately be able to assess the full scope of damage to the ship and surrounding marine ecosystem. The region was also due for a 'bomb cyclone' storm, with rain and wind gusts predicted to exceed 43 miles per hour.
'In the unlikely event that she does move her anchor, we have numerous salvage tugs and there are precautions made onboard so that tow can effectively be made very rapidly,' said Cdr Brickett, reported the UK Guardian.
All vessels had been ordered to keep at least two nautical miles away from the ship and aircraft were barred from flying lower than two nautical miles overhead.
US coast guard officials warned that floating containers posed a threat to other ships. Some of the metal containers, painted dark blue, were difficult to spot amid the choppy dark waters.
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'No injuries were reported. The fire appears to have been contained,' said Athens-based ship manager danaos Shipping.
But the fire continues to smoulder in some containers on the Maltese-flagged ship, that continued to pose a danger the crew still aboard, with firefighting efforts hampered by gale force winds, reported the Associated Press.
The blaze centred on 10 containers aboard the ship chartered by Israeli flag carrier Zim Integrated Shipping Services. Earlier, 40 containers toppled into the sea earlier as the ship listed in heavy weather and the cargo toppled into the sea.
The Canadian Coast Guard said two of the burning containers contain hazardous potassium amylxanthateused in mining to separate ores.
The Canadian Coast Guard noted that the ship, in transit from Busan to Vancouver, itself was not on fire, but an emergency zone has been set up for one nautical mile around the ship.
The Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre in Victoria said 16 crew members had been safely taken off the ship, while five others, including the captain, remained on board.
'We can't see any scorching or charring of those adjacent containers. That's a really good sign,' said Canadian Coast Guard Commander JJ Brickett. 'The fire is smoldering as you would expect, and we're continuing to cool on either side.'
But the Canadian Coast Guard warned it would not immediately be able to assess the full scope of damage to the ship and surrounding marine ecosystem. The region was also due for a 'bomb cyclone' storm, with rain and wind gusts predicted to exceed 43 miles per hour.
'In the unlikely event that she does move her anchor, we have numerous salvage tugs and there are precautions made onboard so that tow can effectively be made very rapidly,' said Cdr Brickett, reported the UK Guardian.
All vessels had been ordered to keep at least two nautical miles away from the ship and aircraft were barred from flying lower than two nautical miles overhead.
US coast guard officials warned that floating containers posed a threat to other ships. Some of the metal containers, painted dark blue, were difficult to spot amid the choppy dark waters.
SeaNews Turkey
