A significant fire broke out on the container ship ONE HENRY HUDSON at the Port of Los Angeles, but it was brought under control thanks to a coordinated response from multiple agencies. All 23 crew members were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.

The fire started at 6:38 PM on Friday, November 21, while the ship was docked at Berth 218. This prompted a large firefighting operation involving nearly 200 personnel from the Los Angeles City Fire Department, along with support from the Long Beach Fire Department, the United States Coast Guard, Los Angeles Port Police, and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Assistant Chief Carlos Calvillo, who led the incident response for the LAFD, stated, “The Los Angeles Fire Department personnel were the first on the scene and worked together with local agencies. The fire spread to several sub-levels below deck in areas that were hard to access. This required a lot of communication and coordination to ensure the safety of both the responders and the crew members on board. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.”

The fire posed serious challenges from the beginning. Flames erupted in hard-to-reach areas below deck. Around 8:00 PM, a mid-ship explosion cut off power to the ship’s lights and cranes, forcing firefighters to change their approach. When hazardous materials were discovered in some affected areas, Unified Command decided to remove all personnel from the ship and continue fighting the fire from a safe distance, using water streams from fire engines and boats.

The firefighting efforts included resources from land, sea, and air. LAFD's specialized teams brought Heavy Rescue, HazMat, and Fire Boats into action. The Long Beach Fire Department added two Battalion Chiefs, a foam apparatus, and two of their fire boats to assist. A CalOES FIRIS aircraft provided vital aerial monitoring of the fire conditions.

To ensure public safety, Unified Command issued a shelter-in-place order for residents of San Pedro and Wilmington around midnight on Saturday, November 22. However, air quality monitoring showed that readings in the smoke plume were within normal limits.

At approximately 3:00 AM Saturday, agencies worked together to move the ship away from the port, escorting it out to sea beyond the Vincent Thomas Bridge. By 4:43 AM, the ONE HENRY HUDSON was anchored about a mile from shore near Angel's Gate Lighthouse.

With the ship safely in open water, the shelter-in-place order was lifted at 6:30 AM on Saturday. As of 1:30 PM, the fire was contained to one cargo hold, with fire boats from both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach continuously on the scene to assist with firefighting efforts.

The Coast Guard established a safety zone around the ship, directing vessel traffic in the area. They also deployed additional search and rescue resources nearby and helped with assessments of the ship's stability and hazardous materials.

Capt. Jarrod DeWitz, the Coast Guard incident commander, remarked, “We closely collaborated with our local partners to ensure crew safety, move the vessel safely, and minimize disruptions at the Port of Los Angeles. We will continue our efforts until the vessel is stable and poses no further risk.”

Capt. Daniel Cobos, the Port of Los Angeles Police Department incident commander, added, “The successful management of this fire shows how well we can work together with local agencies. Our coordinated response kept operations running smoothly at one of the largest ports in the country.”

The incident briefly halted port operations, resulting in four out of the seven container terminals shutting down and the closure of State Route 47 due to smoke and visibility issues. Operations at the Port of Los Angeles have since resumed.

Fire responders confirmed the safety of all 23 crew members with help from the Port of Los Angeles Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The crew participated in moving and anchoring the vessel and continued their efforts to contain the fire.

This fire occurred at a crucial time for the Port of Los Angeles, which is expected to handle over 10 million TEUs in 2025, marking a historic achievement. "If we reach this milestone, it will be our third time doing so, something no other port in the Western Hemisphere has accomplished even once," said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka during a recent media briefing.

Fire suppression operations are expected to continue as salvage teams work in coordination with all agencies involved.