Fishing vessel fire in Tacoma leads to shelter-in-place order

TACOMA — Residents of northeast Tacoma, Browns Point and Dash Point were asked to shelter in place due to a fishing vessel fire releasing smoke, according to the Coast Guard.

The Kodiak Enterprise caught fire early Saturday morning while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway. The Tacoma Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, the state Department of Ecology and other agencies responded.

On Sunday, authorities said the fire reached about 100 feet from the vessel’s freon tanks. The heat from the fire can build pressure on the tanks, which have heat-activated valves that will release freon to prevent an explosion.

While freon can be toxic if inhaled in large quantities or in a confined space, the release of the gas refrigerant into the atmosphere is not expected to pose any health and safety risks to the public, according to the news release. The vessel is reported to have an estimated 55,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 19,000 pounds of freon onboard.

To ensure safety, residents in the surrounding area should remain indoors and limit exposure to smoke. As a precautionary measure, the EPA has been monitoring air quality.

Some areas, including western Browns Point, have shown elevated spikes, said Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Stephen Nolan. However, the overall air quality is below the threshold for “dangerous.” Monitoring will continue through the night.

Residents sheltering in place should shut windows and exterior ventilation systems.

The Coast Guard has also closed the Hylebos Waterway for all commercial and recreational vessel traffic. Responders are still fighting the fire by providing cooling spray on the outside of the vessel.

There are no signs of pollution in the water, the news release said. As a preventive measure, responders deployed layers of containment boom, a floating barrier that prevents pollution from spreading.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.