Fire on Los Angeles container ship prompts shelter-in-place order for nearby communities

LOS ANGELES — A fire that broke out aboard a Los Angeles container ship on Friday continued to burn overnight, prompting a shelter in place order for surrounding communities over concerns about hazardous materials within the ship’s cargo.

All 23 crew members of the ship were accounted for and there were no injuries from the electrical fire, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Officials said they had identified hazardous materials aboard the vessel, the One Henry Hudson.

Just before 3 a.m., Mayor Karen Bass announced a shelter-in-place order for the areas around the port, including San Pedro and Wilmington.

“Remain at home, keep windows closed and turn off HVAC systems,” she said on X.

The U.S. Coast Guard said a safety zone of one nautical mile had been established around the vessel.

The fire appears to have started below deck, before spreading to several levels of the ship, leading to an explosion mid-deck, according to the fire department. It was not immediately clear how the fire started.

More than 100 firefighters were called to battle the blaze at the Port of Los Angeles, known as the busiest seaport in North America. Their efforts continued overnight, Bass said.

The 1,102-foot-long vessel 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 respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.