From Fortune Magazine:

A large cargo ship with a hold fire is being kept 2 miles offshore of an Alaska port as a precaution while efforts are undertaken to extinguish the flames, the U.S. Coast Guard said. It was carrying a load of lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to San Diego. There were no injuries to the 19 crew members aboard the ship.

The fire started on Christmas Day in cargo hold No. 1. The crew released carbon dioxide into the hold and sealed it fearing an explosion. The ship arrived in Dutch Harbor on Friday, but an order preventing it from going close to shore was issued to prevent risks associated with burning lithium-ion batteries or toxic gases.

There is danger associated with any vessel fire, prompting the Coast Guard to issue another safety measure besides preventing the ship from getting closer to the shore. The owners said there has been no oil leaks associated with the incident. A team of marine firefighting experts late Friday conducted an assessment of the ship and found no signs of structural deformation or blistering outside of the cargo hold.

An expert hired by the Taipei, Taiwan-based Wisdom Marine Group “is working diligently to create contingency plans, arrange for a firefighting team, and ensure the necessary equipment is in place,’ the group said in a statement. The Coast Guard will investigate the cause of the fire.



Read more: Ship with burning lithium-ion batteries kept offshore