A major emergency was declared at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday after a cargo ship caught fire in San Pedro, forcing all 23 crew members to be evacuated as firefighters worked to contain the blaze involving hazardous materials.

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) confirmed that the crew members were safely assisted off the vessel with no injuries reported.

The incident began when an electrical fire was reported below deck on the 1,100-foot container ship 1 Henry Hudson at around 6:38 p.m. Shortly before 8 p.m., an explosion occurred mid-deck, disrupting the ship’s power supply, including lights and crane operations.

Officials reported that six crew members had initially been unaccounted for, but by around 8:27 p.m. (0427 GMT), all remaining personnel had been located and evacuated.

LAFD stated that the fire was visible on several levels of the ship and that hazardous materials had been identified in multiple cargo bays.

Firefighters were wearing protective suits and self-contained breathing apparatus, while specialised hazardous materials crews continued monitoring air quality.

Incident command instructed that no firefighters were permitted to go below deck because of the dangerous conditions.

Video Credits: The Daily Guardian/YouTube

More than 100 firefighters, including marine units, responded to the operation. Marine teams continued cooling the exterior of the ship to create safer conditions for responders.

Officials said that despite the large volume of water being used, the vessel did not appear to be at risk of sinking. Drones equipped with thermal imaging were deployed to help assess the heat levels inside the ship and support the response.

In a post shared on X, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that first responders were actively working to suppress the fire and that port police were assisting the crew to safety.

She stated that the city was monitoring air quality as the operation continued. Officials added that California Governor Gavin Newsom had been briefed on the situation and his office was coordinating with local authorities.

At 10:30 p.m., the California Highway Patrol reported that the Vincent Thomas Bridge, a key access route to the port’s terminals, would remain shut until further notice due to the incident, advising drivers to take detours.

The U.S. Coast Guard also established a safety perimeter of one nautical mile around the vessel.

According to vessel-tracking information, the Panamanian-flagged ship had arrived in Los Angeles from Tokyo on Wednesday. Firefighters continued working through the night as progress remained slow because of the fire’s location and the presence of hazardous materials.

References: Reuters, Fox News