Efforts to tackle the fire aboard Höegh Xiamen at Blount Island, Florida came to a close on June 12, with firefighters confirming that the blaze had been extinguished.
The fire broke out on the Höegh Autoliners’ ro-ro vessel in Jacksonville on June 4. There were no injuries to any of the 21 crew members, who were evacuated from the vessel.
Throughout the operation to extinguish the fire, every precaution was taken to prevent pollution and safeguard the environment. Similar protective measures will be maintained throughout the following phases; authorities and experts will now board the ship and carry out their inspections and investigation.
Höegh Autoliners ceo, Thor Jørgen Guttormsen, said: “On behalf of everyone at Höegh Autoliners I would like to thank the dedicated men and women of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, the US Coast Guard, the Jacksonville Port Authority and the many other agencies and organisations whose hard work and expertise contributed to extinguishing the fire and protecting the environment. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the heroic firefighters who sustained injuries during the initial response, as they start the recovery process.”
