Fishing vessel still burning Tuesday at Port of Tacoma as firefighters gain access

TACOMA — The fire burning through the fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise lessened Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement late in the day.

Along with the Coast Guard, personnel from the state Department of Ecology, Tacoma Fire Department, Puyallup Tribe of Indians and other agencies continue to respond and monitor the situation on the ship moored in Tacoma’s Hylebos Waterway.

Firefighters were able to access interior spaces to overhaul “hot spot” areas, the Coast Guard said. In addition, personnel continue to spray the exterior of the vessel.

Freon tanks onboard the ship are empty, the Coast Guard said. The tanks are designed to release pressure during a fire. The released freon is not expected to pose any health or safety risks to the public.

The fire broke out early Saturday morning on the 193-foot ship docked at Trident Seafoods. Smoke from the fire prompted shelter-in-place orders that went into effect Sunday for neighborhoods near the port. The Coast Guard lifted those orders Monday.

Smoke has dissipated and air monitoring is ongoing, the Coast Guard said.

“Particulate levels at the incident site and in nearby neighborhoods have not shown levels of concern,” the Coast Guard said.

On Tuesday, divers found that the vessel remains intact below the waterline. They plugged water intakes as a precaution.