A 100-foot luxury yacht caught fire in a California harbor. What made the firefighters’ response even more difficult was the explosive cargo on board: the ship was loaded with fireworks and live ammunition.
On Wednesday night, a fire broke out in the Marina del Rey. Eyewitnesses called the fire department and reported that fireworks had been set off earlier from the deck of the yacht. Two people who were on board the ship were able to escape with minor injuries.
The luxury yacht Admiral, reportedly worth around $1 million, burned for more than two hours before the fire was brought under control and the flames were prevented from spreading to other vessels.
Eyewitness: “I saw fireworks”
“I saw it completely engulfed in flames, and like many of us who live here, I heard an explosion and saw fireworks and more flames, and then I went out here and took video of it,” an eyewitness told NBC Los Angeles. As the fire burned, the ship had already turned to port. The yacht eventually sank.
Explosions were heard repeatedly during the operation – local media reports said the admiral was carrying 1,000 rounds of live ammunition.
Recovery will take weeks
A Coast Guard member estimated that the accident spilled about 15,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the sea. Oil barriers were built to limit the threat to the environment. Rescue efforts are expected to continue for weeks; the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Source: Krone
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