Coast Guard Investigates Two Vessel Fires in Puerto Rico, No Injuries Reported

The US Coast Guard Sector San Juan is investigating two separate vessel fires in Puerto Rico, both of which were extinguished without injuries or marine pollution reported.

The latest incident occurred Saturday morning on the M/T Scot Stuttgart, a 383-foot chemical tanker flagged in the Marshall Islands, while moored at Puerto Nuevo Channel. At 3:43 a.m., the crew reported a fire in the engine room caused by a port generator. They successfully utilized the ship’s fire suppression system to extinguish the flames. However, at 5:55 a.m., black smoke reappeared, prompting the crew to isolate the area and activate the suppression system again. Local firefighters confirmed the fire was fully extinguished.

The first fire took place Friday night on the ferry Breezy Point at the Vieques pier after returning from Ceiba with passengers. At 9:15 p.m., the crew reported a fire in the engine room. After initially using a portable extinguisher, they activated the vessel’s fire suppression system, which successfully put out the fire. All passengers were safely evacuated.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Commander Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez emphasized the importance of these investigations to prevent future incidents and commended the crews for their prompt actions that mitigated potential risks.

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