A fire broke out on the decommissioned state ferry Malaspina in Ketchikan’s Ward Cove on Tuesday night, but was extinguished without injuries.
North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jerry Kiffer said the fire aboard the vessel, which is being used as a bunkhouse for workers in Ward Cove, was reported at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. When firefighters arrived, there were no visible flames or smoke.
“We made contact with the owner of the vessel,” Kiffer said. “He indicated there was a fire on Deck 1 that had a storage area that had toiletries and cleaning supplies. It was located in an area that was fairly remote from the cabins, and was confined just to that particular room.”
Kiffer says the fire had been quickly contained by those aboard the Malaspina. When the fire was discovered by crew, they attempted to put it out with hand-held fire extinguishers but were unsuccessful. They then used a hose from one of the Malaspina’s fire stations to tamp down the fire.
“Our crew came in and finished extinguishment, completed overhaul and ventilated the ship,” he said.
Kiffer said there was smoke in the aft part of the ship. Although nobody was hurt, several people onboard were evaluated just to be safe.
Kiffer commended those aboard for their quick response when fire alarms sounded.
“Because the crew was onboard, because the crew acted quickly, they were able to knock that fire down to a point where it was safe for our crew to make entry onto the ship,” he said. “So kudos to them. They did a pretty decent job.”
Kiffer says fire department personnel wrapped up a little after 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Maria Dudzak is a reporter at KRBD in Ketchikan.
