Charred Factory Trawler takes a heavy hitting list in Tacoma

A commercial fishing vessel that caught fire in Tacoma, Wash. this weekend is now tilting sharply to port as responders continue to battle the days-long blaze.

Fire broke out early Saturday morning aboard the factory trawler Kodiak Enterprise, which spread throughout the ship while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway, according to the US Coast Guard.

Most of the fire has subsided and smoke conditions have improved significantly as a result of firefighting, although the ship now points to her port side as Tacoma Fire Department responders continuously apply water to cool the ship’s hull.

Rescuers conduct drainage work to improve ship stability. Diving operations have begun to inspect the hull.

The ship is estimated to have 55,000 gallons of diesel on board, but so far no oil spill or oil slick has been observed in the water. As a precaution, the trawler is surrounded by three layers of containment booms and response personnel and equipment are deployed and ready to respond if pollution is observed in the waterway.

A security zone has been established around the site of the incident and the Hylebos waterway remains closed to all commercial and leisure vessel traffic, the Coast Guard said, adding: “There is no estimated date for the waterway to reopen and the Coast Guard is working to minimize the impact on shipping.”

A temporary shelter-in-place order issued by the Tacoma Fire Department was lifted Monday morning, although the order could be reinstated if conditions worsen. The ship is said to have 19,000 pounds of freon on board and the Environmental Protection Agency and contractors from CTEH have been conducting aerial monitoring to assess air quality in surrounding areas.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Originally built as an offshore supply vessel and launched in 1977, the 276.8 foot Kodiak Enterprise was converted into a factory trawler in 1989. The vessel is used by Trident Seafoods, the largest seafood company in the United States, primarily to harvest and process wild Alaska pollock.