Coast Guard, partner agencies respond to vessel fire in Tacoma

Coast Guard, partner agencies respond to vessel fire in Tacoma

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SEATTLE — The Coast Guard and State of Washington partner agencies are responding to an active fire Thursday afternoon on board a commercial fishing vessel moored in Tacoma.

The fire broke out shortly before midnight aboard the 233-foot 'Aleutian Falcon' at pier 25 in the Port of Tacoma.

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, the fire continues to burn.

Tacoma Fire Department reported the fire and said the vessel began to list after using water to battle the flames. Crews fought the fire both along the pier and from three fire boats.

Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector Puget Sound launched a response boatcrew from Station Seattle at midnight to enforce an isolation zone for marine traffic around the stricken vessel. At 1 a.m., Coast Guard pollution responders arrived on scene.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Wahoo, an 87-foot Patrol Boat, arrived at 2:30 a.m. to relieve the Seattle boatcrew. A commercial tug moved a neighboring vessel to avoid damage from the fire. A spill response company was contracted and arrived on scene with four vessels around 5 a.m.

The Hylebos and Blair Waterways were closed for several hours, but  reopened at 1:30 p.m. Absorbent boom has been placed near the vessel to mitigate pollution. A 1,500-yard 'no-wake' zone is now in place for all marine traffic transiting the area.

A unified command has been established consisting of the Tacoma Fire Department, the Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology.

-USCG-