B.C. cargo ship fires may take days to put out: coast guard
The Canadian Coast Guard says it may be several days before fires can be put out inside containers on a cargo ship anchored off the Victoria coast.
Paul Barrett, the planning section chief for the coast guard's unified command, says there are at least five fires burning in containers that are believed to be storing tires on the MV Zim Kingston.
Danaos Shipping Co., the ship's owner, says in a statement it is co-operating with Canadian officials and has contracted a firefighting company to help fight the fires.
The company says the trouble began when two containers on the ship caught fire, while another 40 fell into the water as it approached Vancouver, before it anchored for repairs in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Since the containers fell, they've been tracked moving northward along the west coast of Vancouver Island and some have been spotted off Cape Scott on the northern tip of the island.
J.J. Brickett, the coast guard's federal incident commander, says the vessel is able to operate but crews are taking a measured approach in ensuring the fires have been put out.
Canadian officials say at least 10 containers caught fire and crews battled the flames over the weekend.
Danaos Shipping's statement says it has permission from the Canadian Coast Guard to allow technical experts and two marine firefighters on board the ship.
Barrett said there are 20 people aboard comprising a mix of crew and firefighters.
The coast guard says it is monitoring air quality along Victoria's waterfront and has not recorded any unusual or dangerous changes caused by the fire.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2021
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
King Charles will attend Easter Sunday service at Windsor
Buckingham Palace officials say King Charles III and Queen Camilla will attend an Easter service at the chapel at Windsor Castle on Sunday.