Cargo Ship Blaze Brings Chaos to Los Angeles Port

A cargo ship fire at the Port of Los Angeles was 'substantially contained' after several hours of emergency response. The incident prompted evacuation and shelter-in-place orders for nearby neighborhoods before being lifted. No injuries were reported, and port operations resumed partially the next day.

A fire aboard a cargo ship in Los Angeles sent smoke billowing through parts of the city, prompting an emergency response that successfully contained the blaze after several hours, according to the Port of Los Angeles.

The incident began as an electrical fire on Friday evening on the ship One Henry Hudson, docked in the San Pedro area. The fire was quickly addressed by fire crews and ship crew members, with marine units working to cool the ship's exterior. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported significant firefighting efforts, including the use of firefighting boats as seen in TV coverage.

Concerns over potentially hazardous materials sparked swift preventive measures with shelter-in-place orders for San Pedro and Wilmington communities. These orders were lifted the following day, alongside work restrictions for port terminals. The One Henry Hudson, sailing under a Panama flag, had recently arrived from Tokyo, and for now, the port continues to recover from the incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)