A cargo ship transporting 3,000 vehicles to Mexico — including 800 electric cars — was evacuated after a fire broke out and quickly grew out of control while sailing near Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
The fire, which originated on the deck where the vehicles were stored, was first reported on Tuesday, according to a statement released Wednesday by London-based ship operator Zodiac Maritime. Smoke was seen coming from the area where the electric vehicles were located.
All 22 crew members aboard the Morning Midas managed to safely evacuate the vessel without injury. After abandoning ship in lifeboats, they were rescued by a nearby merchant vessel in the North Pacific Ocean, about 300 miles (485 kilometers) southwest of Adak Island, part of the Aleutian chain. Adak is located roughly 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city.
Emergency firefighting protocols were initiated, but the flames spread rapidly and proved impossible to contain.
“Our top priorities are ensuring the continued safety of the crew and protecting the marine environment,” Zodiac Maritime said in its statement. The company added that relevant authorities had been notified and that a tugboat had been dispatched to assist in the firefighting and salvage operations.
The U.S. Coast Guard also deployed air and sea crews to the area to support the emergency response.
The Morning Midas is a 600-foot (183-meter) car and truck carrier built in 2006 and sailing under the Liberian flag. The vehicles were bound for the port of Lázaro Cárdenas on Mexico’s Pacific coast.
