A significant fire erupted on the docked containership ONE HENRY HUDSON at the Port of Los Angeles on November 21, triggering a swift and coordinated emergency response. All 23 crew members were safely evacuated without injuries. The incident began at approximately 6:38 PM, prompting an extensive firefighting operation that mobilized nearly 200 personnel from the Los Angeles City Fire Department, the Long Beach Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other agencies.
The fire created severe challenges, with flames spreading to multiple lower deck levels that were hard to access. A powerful explosion at around 8 PM disabled the vessel’s lights and cranes. After hazardous materials were identified, a Unified Command decided to withdraw personnel and conduct fire suppression operations from a safe distance using fire engines and boats.
Firefighting resources were deployed from land, sea, and air, including LAFD’s specialized teams and thermal imaging support from a fixed-wing aircraft. As a precaution, a shelter-in-place order was issued for local residents, though air quality monitoring showed readings were within normal limits. By 3 AM the following day, efforts to move the vessel offshore were successfully executed, positioning it approximately one mile from shore, allowing the shelter-in-place order to be lifted by 6:30 AM.
The fire temporarily affected port operations, leading to the suspension of four container terminals and the closure of State Route 47 due to smoke. Despite the disruption, the Port of Los Angeles has resumed normal operations, continuing to work toward surpassing ten million TEUs for the third time in its history, a feat yet unmatched by other ports in the Western Hemisphere.
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