Ship fire in Napier harbor: crew back on board after fire

A major fire aboard a ship in Napier harbor forced the evacuation of the crew during their 14-day period of isolation from Covid-19.

As explosions erupted and acrid smoke billowed across the city, locals were also forced to evacuate and take refuge inside for their own health.

Emergency services were called to the fire in Kota Bahagia at 10:45 today.

A spokesperson for the port of Napier said the ship’s crew was already back on the ship.

A large black cloud of smoke and pockets of flame could be seen coming from the ship, and those nearby heard an “unreal” number of explosions.

The ship’s firefighters announced at 1:30 p.m. that the fire was under control.

The exact cause of the fire and the damage it caused have yet to be announced.

The spokeswoman said the crew was transferred to a facility in the port.

The engineer and the ship’s captain remained on board to help the firefighters douse the flames.

A spokesperson for the Hawke’s Bay District Board of Health said the entire crew screened from the cargo ship after the fire had tested negative for COVID-19.

The crew will remain on board the ship until it sails.

A total of 19 fire trucks attended the fire, including teams from Palmerston North, and an ambulance was on standby.

Firefighters and ship engineers fought the fire on board the ship, while other crews cooled the ship’s side with water.

A Napier Port spokeswoman said everyone was “safe and accounted for.”

The port’s annual shareholders meeting was taking place at the Napier War Memorial Center when the fire broke out.

The spokeswoman said a member of Napier Port’s senior management team left the meeting to handle the fire.

He said the president was informed about the fire during the meeting.

“The meeting was able to continue as planned without interruption.”

However, the bus excursions to the port were canceled.

The Kota Bahagia, a 161-meter long freighter built in Singapore in 2011, docked at the port at 3am yesterday morning.

A witness said the ship had wind turbines on board.

Local Bryan Edwards said he was informed this afternoon that his newly purchased freeze dryer was on the ship.

“They tell us that our cargo material is right below where the fire is. To be honest, it is disappointing,” he said.

Trucker Stuart Markham, who was in a queue at the port’s container terminal, said he and six other trucks heard a series of “internal explosions” before being evacuated.

“The number of explosions was incredible,” he said.

Markham said smoke came from under a crane on the ship, before another explosion around noon.

One witness said that people at the Bluff Hill lookout, which offers a panoramic view of the harbor, initially packed the observation deck to look before losing weight when they started coughing.

“The smoke on Hornsey Rd makes it difficult to breathe. Our faces are starting to burn.”

Masked police urged the public to stay away from the lookout post, warning that the fumes could be toxic. Several highways were closed, including Breakwater and Battery Rds.

One of those on the hill was the local Sam Holmes.

“I heard a bang, and then I smelled smoke, I looked outside and this ship here in the harbor was on fire.

“Apparently it has something to do with chemicals, I hope the [firefighters] and the staff there can fix it as soon as possible. “

Jones encouraged nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed to prevent smoke from entering.

He said symptoms, which include irritated eyes, nose, throat and airways, as well as a sore throat, cough and shortness of breath, often go away shortly after exposure.

“People who have shortness of breath, a prolonged cough or chest tightness should call their GP or Healthline,” he added.

Port operations had been halted for the day, but limited bulk cargo operations were expected to resume at 3 p.m., when road cords blocking traffic to the port were also expected to be lifted.

The fire also caused the cancellation of a KiwiRail service from Palmerston North to Napier.

Container operations, including receiving and delivering containers, were to close at the port for the remainder of the day and reopen at 7am tomorrow.

Thames I and II tanks continue to operate normally.