Massive Fire Engulfs Car Carrier Ship off Dutch Coast
Tragedy Strikes: Massive Fire Engulfs Car Carrier Ship off Dutch Coast, One Crew Member Killed and Several Injured
A devastating fire broke out on the Panama-registered Fremantle Highway, a 199-meter-long ship carrying nearly 3,000 vehicles, off the Dutch coast on Wednesday. The blaze began on Tuesday night while the vessel was en route from Germany to Egypt, resulting in the tragic death of one crew member and leaving several others injured. Desperate to escape the rapidly spreading flames, some crew members were forced to leap overboard, adding to the harrowing situation.
In response to the emergency, the Dutch coastguard swiftly dispatched rescue ships to the scene. These vessels diligently sprayed water onto the burning ship, attempting to cool it down. However, authorities exercised caution not to use too much water, as it could risk the ship’s sinking. To prevent the vessel from drifting further, a salvage vessel promptly hooked onto the Fremantle Highway.
Edwin Versteeg, a spokesperson for the Dutch Department of Waterways and Public Works, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “The fire is most definitely still not under control. It’s a very challenging fire to extinguish, possibly because of the cargo the ship was transporting.” The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, but initial reports from a coastguard spokesperson suggested it might have started near an electric car on board.
As the fire continued its destructive path, the coastguard managed to tow the Fremantle Highway away from busy shipping lanes, minimizing potential hazards to other vessels. However, the looming threat of the ship’s sinking remained ever-present. At the time of the incident, the ship was approximately 27 km (17 miles) north of the Dutch island of Ameland.
Willard Molenaar, a member of the Royal Dutch Rescue Company (KNRM) and one of the first responders at the scene, vividly described the chaotic situation. According to Molenaar, seven crew members had no choice but to leap overboard due to the rapid spread of the fire. Tragically, some of these crew members sustained injuries from the leap into the water, and one crew member lost their life in the flames.
“The fire spread quickly, much faster than expected,” Molenaar said. “The people on board had to get off quickly… We fished them out of the water.” In a daring and challenging operation, a helicopter was deployed to airlift the remaining crew members off the burning ship. The injured survivors were promptly transported to receive medical attention, where they were treated for breathing problems, burns, and broken bones.
As the incident unfolded, Coastguard spokesperson Edwin Granneman emphasized the ongoing efforts of salvage experts to devise a plan for addressing the crisis aboard the ship. Meanwhile, Shoei Kisen, the Japanese ship leasing company responsible for managing the Fremantle, pledged its full collaboration with Dutch authorities to extinguish the fire and mitigate the damage.
This tragic incident marks yet another in a series of fires that have recently plagued car carriers. Earlier this month, a cargo ship carrying hundreds of vehicles experienced a similar fire, resulting in the deaths of two New Jersey firefighters and injuries to five others. Additionally, in February of last year, thousands of luxury cars were destroyed by fire on a ship off the coast of Portugal’s Azores islands.
As authorities continue their investigations into the cause of the fire on the Fremantle Highway, the focus remains unwaveringly on the safety of the remaining crew members and the immense challenges faced by rescue and salvage teams working tirelessly to bring the situation under control.
