Fire rages on cargo ships carrying timber outside Sweden
STOCKHOLM, 5 December (Reuters) – A fire on a cargo ship carrying timber outside Gothenburg on Sweden’s west coast was still not under control on Sunday after more than 24 hours, the authorities state.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) said they had sent two helicopters while several other agencies and organizations, including the Coast Guard, also fought the fire.
The ship’s cargo, timber, had caught fire on Saturday and while the ship itself did not burn, the fire was difficult to extinguish, says MSB in a statement.
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“The vessel contains large amounts of fuel and MSB has begun preparations to be able to support with resources in the event of a potential leak,” it said.
The crew of 17 people had not been evacuated from the ship, the news agency TT reported. It gave the name of the ship as
Almirante Storni who, according to Refinitive Eikon data, sails under the Liberian flag.
“We can not say that the fire is under control, but at least it has not spread,” a spokesman for the Coast Guard told TT, adding that work can continue for several days.
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Reporting by Helena Soderpalm Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky
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