By The Associated Press. December 31, 2023, 2:08 PM
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — After lithium-ion batteries burned in a large cargo ship’s hold for a number of days, the U.S. Coast Guard said late Saturday that the fire was out and directed the ship to anchor near Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
The 19 crew members of the ship, Genius Star XI, were uninjured and technicians from the Salvage and Marine Firefighting team remained onboard to ensure the fire didn’t return, according to a Coast Guard press release.
Dangers associated with lithium-ion batteries They degrade as soon as they leave the factory and are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. They are extremely volatile and can spontaneously ignite and then explode when they overheat. The likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged. Throwing these batteries in the trash or recycling bin can lead to major fires on garbage trucks, recycling trucks, recycling trucks, landfills, and recycling centers. Lithium-ion batteries contain a flammable electrolyte and lithium is highly reactive which poses dangers when handling it as a waste item.
“This protected anchorage … will allow the vessel to remain stable, minimizing the risk of any re-flash of the fire as we continue our response,” Capt. Chris Culpepper said in the press release, which said an investigation into the fire’s origins will begin once response efforts wrap up.
Genius Star XI was shipping lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to San Diego. The crew alerted the Coast Guard early Thursday morning to the fire, after pumping carbon dioxide into hold No. 1 — where the blaze began — and sealing it, fearing an explosion.
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