A fire started by an electric car rapidly spread onboard a gigantic cargo ship carrying more than 3,700 vehicles off the coast of the Netherlands. Authorities are currently determining how to tow the Egypt-bound vessel to a nearby port.
Dutch rescue teams have been working to extinguish the fire on the cargo ship for the past three days. Despite progress made, the blaze is not yet completely under control, according to the British newspaper “The Daily Mail”. Rescue teams have boarded the ship, working to reduce heat, flames, and smoke.
The Dutch Coast Guard reports a significant reduction in the vessel’s temperature. The cargo ship has been attached to a rescue vessel, effectively bringing it under control. The Dutch Coast Guard is coordinating with salvage companies contracted by the ship’s owner to tow it.
Dutch authorities are currently exploring various scenarios to determine the next steps, with the objective of relocating the ship to a nearby port. The towing process depends on several factors such as the amount of emitted smoke and weather conditions. There are fears that the ship’s sinking could trigger an environmental catastrophe.
One crew member tragically lost their life in the fire and seven others were injured when the blaze broke out on Wednesday. The remaining crew members were evacuated, with some jumping into the sea to escape the flames.
The fire is believed to have been caused by an electric car. The United States’ National Transportation Safety Board has previously warned of potential risks of fires breaking out in electric car batteries. The fire erupted on the cargo ship while it was in the North Sea, near congested international shipping lanes.
The company that chartered the ship stated that it was carrying a larger number of electric cars than the number reported by the Dutch Coast Guard, who said that the total was 2,857 vehicles, including 25 electric cars. The company says that there were 3,783 cars on board, including 498 electric cars. The company did not comment on the fate of the cars on the ship.
The fire broke out onboard the “Fremantle Highway”, a ship registered in Panama. The ship had departed from the German city of Bremen, bound for the Egyptian city of Port Said.
