Crews continue to monitor B.C. cargo ship fire amid stormy weather

Maritime officials in B.C. say they continue to closely monitor a hazardous fire aboard a cargo ship moored near Victoria.

At least 10 containers on the MV Zim Kingston caught fire on Friday, while another 40 fell into the water and efforts to pick them up are being hampered by stormy weather.

2:04 Bad weather hampers efforts to board cargo ship that caught fire in B.C.

Two of the burning containers contain hazardous material identified as potassium amylxanthate, a chemical used in mining operations.

Sixteen crewmembers had been safely taken off the ship on Saturday, while five others, including the captain, remained on board.

2:31 Crews gain upper hand on B.C. cargo ship fire as storm system approaches

An emergency zone has been set up for one nautical mile around the Zim Kingston, which is currently anchored at the Constance Bank Anchorage near Victoria.

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“It does look really good,” Mariah McCooey with the Canadian Coast Guard said Monday. “It looks like the containers that were burning are now just smouldering. There’s certainly no more open flame visible on the ship, which is really positive.”

Weather has prevented crews from boarding the ship.

Crews had been spraying water on the containers and the ship’s hull to keep it cool while salvage and firefighting crews waited for calmer weather in order to board.

“Weather is being monitored for an appropriate weather window to conduct the transfer of personnel at sea,” Paul Barrett of the Coast Guard said Monday. “Based on the current forecast, a weather window is expected this evening.”

0:39 Burning material tumbles off cargo ship off coast of British Columbia

Containers that went overboard continue to drift north-northwest parallel to the western shore of Vancouver Island.

Inclement weather has prevented the containers from being recovered. Current modelling indicates the containers will not come ashore, the Coast Guard said.

McCooey said it is still unclear what caused the fire.

The Coast Guard said there are currently no impacts to human health for Greater Victoria residents. Crews continue to monitor air quality in the area, the ministry of environment said Monday.

McCooey said there are no identified risks to marine life.

— with files from Simon Little and The Canadian Press