Crew evacuated safely after explosion ignites fire on ship at Los Angeles port

An explosion erupted mid-deck on a burning ship at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday evening, disrupting power and crane operations, the fire department said.

Hazardous materials were found in several bays, and firefighters worked in full protective gear with self-contained breathing apparatus.

By 8.27pm, all of the 23 crew members were accounted for, with no injuries from the electrical fire, which appears to have started below deck, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The ship's cargo includes hazardous materials.

By about 7 pm, the fire had spread to several levels of the ship, according to the fire department, and later an explosion took place mid-deck. It was not immediately clear how the fire started.

“First responders are on the scene with more than 100 firefighters working to suppress the fire and Port Police are working to assist the crew to safety,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a post on X.

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She said LAFD is monitoring air quality as fire suppression continues.

Marine units continue cooling the ship's exterior, with no personnel allowed below deck, the LAFD said.

Fire officials said crews entered the scene equipped with specialised breathing gear after the vessel’s paperwork indicated that the burning holds contained hazardous cargo, reported the New York Times. Authorities added that air monitoring was underway in the area surrounding the ship to track any potential contamination.

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The 1,102ft-long (336m-long) vessel, the One Henry Hudson, is operated by One Ocean Express, a shipping company headquartered in Singapore.

Before Los Angeles, the ship had most recently been in Japan, stopping in Kobe, Nagoya and Tokyo. One Ocean Express did not immediately issue a statement.

Live footage from local stations captured a support vessel dousing the ship’s exterior with water as thick, dark smoke billowed from the area where containers were piled.

The ship’s management company, Fukujin Kisen, did not immediately offer a statement. Online tracking data from Vessel Finder indicates the ship, built in 2008, had recently completed a journey from Tokyo, reported the New York Times.