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The entire crew aboard the cargo ship that caught fire at Napier tested negative for Covid-19.
On Friday night, a spokeswoman for the Hawke’s Bay District Board of Health said the entire crew on the Kota Bahagia tested negative for the virus.
The crew returned to the ship on Friday afternoon after originally being transferred to a separate isolation facility in the port, and would remain on board until it sails.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Accident Investigation Commission has opened an investigation into the causes and circumstances of the fire, which broke out at 10 am on Friday but was controlled at 1.30 pm.
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The Singapore-registered Kota Bahagia, docked at Napier, was carrying general cargo, machinery and components when the fire broke out. The entire crew has been accounted for.
Harald Hendel, the commission’s chief accident investigator, had appointed a team of two investigators for the investigation. They were to be at the scene on Saturday.
“The investigation team has an expert knowledge of marine operations, engineering, maintenance and electronic forensics,” Hendel said.
A fire broke out on a ship docked in Napier harbor on Friday morning.
The work would include interviewing witnesses and inspecting the ship’s hold when it is reopened, along with its contents and other parts when it is safe to do so.
The commission opens an investigation when it believes that the circumstances of an accident or incident have, or are likely to have, significant implications for transport safety, or when the investigation may allow the commission to make conclusions or recommendations to improve transport safety .
Fire crews were continuing to cool the ship Friday night and were working with the ship’s captain and engineer. People were asked to stay away from the area so that emergency services could continue to function.
A spokesperson for the port of Napier said late Friday that the entire crew of the ship was safe and had already entered its 14-day isolation period.
All operations at the port were originally halted due to the fire, but limited bulk cargo operations resumed as of 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.
All container operations, including container receiving and delivery, were closed on Friday, but would reopen on Saturday morning.
The ship was docked at Pier 4 of the port, which was under the command of Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
A police spokesman said emergency services were notified at 10:45 am of the fire and subsequently closed the Breakwater and Battery highways.
John Cowpland / Stuff
Firefighters fight a fire on a ship docked in Napier Harbor on Friday.
Dr. Nick Jones, Medical Health Officer, said the Hawke’s Bay District Board of Health Health Protection Team worked closely with Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Napier Port staff and the Customs on Friday to mitigate any health risks.
John Cowpland / Stuff
The ship’s crew was evacuated to an isolation facility in the port of Napier.
Earlier, a witness who was atop the Napier suburb of Bluff Hill, which overlooks the harbor, said the area “was filled with black smoke.”
Hawke’s Bay Fire and Emergency Commander Ken Cooper said 12 fire crews worked to control the blaze.
