An electrical fire on a container ship in the Port of Los Angeles has been contained and water is no longer being poured onto the ship to keep the area cool and preserve the integrity of the hull, Coast Guard officials said Tuesday.
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"Fire has been contained as reported by the salvage master aboard vessel," the USCG said. "Current firefighting efforts shifted to standby status and re-flash watch. Plans are actively being developed to shift toward the next phase of salvage operations."
The fire was reported at 6:38 p.m. Friday at 701 E. New Dock St. in San Pedro, drawing a heavy emergency response from the Los Angeles Fire Department, including HazMat, Urban Search and Rescue and Air Operations units, according to department spokeswoman Lyndsey Lantz.
Fire was visible on several levels of the 1,100-foot vessel as crews worked to confirm that all 23 crew members were accounted for and safely off the ship while identifying the fire's source and working to contain it.
Port Police and Customs personnel helped with getting crew members off the ship, Lantz said. At 7:58 p.m., an explosion was reported mid-deck, disrupting power to the ship, including lighting and crane operations. By 8:27 p.m., the final five crew members were assisted off the vessel, and all crew were accounted for, according to Lantz.
The presence of hazardous materials in some of the containers presented an added danger for firefighters and the public. The ship was towed out to anchorage outside of the breakwater, where firefighters continued battling the blaze.
LAFD HazMat teams monitored air quality as suppression efforts continued in the ship's sub-levels, where access remained difficult. A shelter-in-place order was issued north of Point Fermin, between South Western Avenue and State Route 103 for both San Pedro and nearby Wilmington, the LAFD reported.
"If you can smell it, you're going to want to stay indoors," LAFD Captain Adam Van Gerpen said.
The order was lifted Saturday morning.
The Port reopened for business Saturday after community shelter-in-place orders and work restrictions were lifted and all lanes of the nearby Seaside (47) Freeway between Gaffney Street and Ocean Boulevard in San Pedro reopened.
A Unified Command, including crews from the Los Angeles and Long Beach fire departments, the U.S. Coast Guard, Los Angeles Port Police and Los Angeles Police Department, remained at the scene along with select crew members from the ship, One Henry Hudson.
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