05.06.2025 13:12
A fire broke out on a giant cargo ship carrying over 3,000 cars off the coast of Alaska. The fire is allowed to continue due to the risk of explosion from the lithium-ion batteries in more than 800 electric vehicles on board.
A giant cargo ship carrying more than 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric cars, caught fire off the coast of Alaska. The fire on the cargo ship has been ongoing for more than 24 hours, and the U.S. Coast Guard stated that they would allow the fire to continue because the lithium-ion batteries found in electric vehicles could explode.
SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM THE SHIP
Smoke started to rise from the deck of the ship named "Morning Midas," located about 1,200 miles from Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday afternoon.
22 CREW MEMBERS RESCUED BY A COMMERCIAL VESSEL
While the crew was unable to bring the fire under control, they issued a danger alert 15 minutes later. The 22-member crew left the ship in a lifeboat and was rescued by a commercial vessel.
NOT EXTINGUISHED DUE TO EXPLOSION RISK
A Coast Guard spokesperson stated that they allowed the fire to continue burning and that they were monitoring the ship from a safe distance due to the risk of explosion from the lithium-ion batteries in the vehicles.
The giant cargo ship, which set sail from Yantai, China, on May 26, was expected to arrive in Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, on June 15.