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A fire broke out on Saturday on containers on a cargo ship carrying mining chemicals off British Columbia, and the Canadian Coast Guard said it is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess the situation, including environmental hazards.
Officials say the crew of a cargo ship anchored near Victoria that caught fire Saturday morning may need to be fully evacuated.
Sixteen crew members were taken to Ogden Point Pier by the coast guard Saturday evening, though five other crew members still remain onboard.
A Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson said flames broke out on the MV Zim Kingston around 11 a.m. Saturday, and were related to two damaged containers carrying hazardous materials. It is the same vessel that lost an estimated 35-40 cargo containers in rough seas west of Vancouver Island on Thursday.
In an update Saturday evening, the coast guard said that ten containers were on fire, including two carrying carrying over 52,000 kgs of Potassium Amylxanthate, which is a hazardous material used in mining.
It added that a Hazmat team is mobilizing from Vancouver, while a coast guard ship and tugboat stay nearby to monitor the situation overnight.
The vessel is currently anchored in Constance Bank, a few kilometres south of the capitol.
The coast guard has declared an Emergency Zone one nautical mile around the ship and is advising all other ships to stay out of that area.
A spokesperson for Maritime Forces Pacific said should the crew be fully evacuated, firefighting efforts would be led by other vessels.
Officials say the crew of a cargo ship anchored near Victoria that caught fire Saturday morning may need to be fully evacuated.
Sixteen crew members were taken to Ogden Point Pier by the coast guard Saturday evening, though five other crew members still remain onboard.
A Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson said flames broke out on the MV Zim Kingston around 11 a.m. Saturday, and were related to two damaged containers carrying hazardous materials. It is the same vessel that lost an estimated 35-40 cargo containers in rough seas west of Vancouver Island on Thursday.
In an update Saturday evening, the coast guard said that ten containers were on fire, including two carrying carrying over 52,000 kgs of Potassium Amylxanthate, which is a hazardous material used in mining.
It added that a Hazmat team is mobilizing from Vancouver, while a coast guard ship and tugboat stay nearby to monitor the situation overnight.
The vessel is currently anchored in Constance Bank, a few kilometres south of the capitol.
The coast guard has declared an Emergency Zone one nautical mile around the ship and is advising all other ships to stay out of that area.
A spokesperson for Maritime Forces Pacific said should the crew be fully evacuated, firefighting efforts would be led by other vessels.
