Incident Overview
A cargo ship loaded with hazardous materials caught fire in Los Angeles on Friday. Fortunately, all crew members were evacuated safely, and a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents was lifted the following day.
The vessel, named ONE Henry Hudson, was towed and anchored outside the breakwater at the Port of Los Angeles as firefighting efforts continued. Following this incident, closed terminals at the port reopened, allowing normal operations to resume.
Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Adam VanGerpen assured the public that the ship had been moved to open water, eliminating any danger to nearby residents.
According to reports, at least 100 containers aboard the ship were engulfed in flames. An electrical fire ignited below deck around 6:38 p.m. local time on Friday, spreading rapidly across various sections of the 1,100-foot vessel.
A shelter-in-place directive was issued early Saturday morning due to concerns about hazardous material residue in the air but was rescinded by 6:30 a.m. local time after conditions improved.
An explosion occurred shortly before 8 p.m. local time on Friday, causing power disruptions that affected crane operations and lighting onboard. All crew members were safely evacuated by 8:27 p.m., with no injuries reported.
Firefighters worked from outside the ship to assist those onboard in combating the blaze; however, no personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department were permitted below deck during this operation. By 11 p.m., all personnel had been ordered off the vessel as alternative firefighting methods were implemented.
