A fire broke out in a forward stateroom aboard the tug Samson III while contractors were working elsewhere on the vessel at a Wrangell, Alaska, repair yard Oct. 8, prompting a rapid response from harbor personnel and local firefighters.
The fire started at approximately 4 p.m. aboard the 77' steel tug at Wrangell Marine Service Center, according to Steve Miller, port director and harbormaster for the City and Borough of Wrangell.
Contractors were aboard the vessel performing shaft and keel cooler repairs at the time, but Miller said they were not working in the area where the fire originated.
The cause remains under investigation.
“There is no indication at this time that the fire was related to work being performed by any Marine Service Center vendor,” Miller said.
Harbor personnel responded in less than two minutes and immediately began firefighting efforts. The Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department arrived approximately seven minutes later, Miller said, and the fire was contained in under 20 minutes.
Miller credited the harbor crew and volunteer firefighters with keeping the incident from spreading beyond the vessel.
“I want to commend both our Harbor personnel and the Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department for their outstanding response,” Miller said. “Their quick actions, teamwork, and professionalism were instrumental in bringing the fire under control before it could spread further or potentially threaten nearby vessels and facilities.”
Miller said the response also underscored the importance of having personnel at the facility prepared to act before outside emergency crews arrive.
“This incident demonstrated the importance of having trained personnel on-site who are prepared to respond immediately to an emergency,” he said.
Workers were aboard the Samson III when the fire broke out, but no injuries were reported. Miller said there were also no environmental concerns associated with the incident other than smoke generated by the fire.
No damage to the service center or nearby vessels was reported.
The Samson III is owned by Samson Tug and Barge. The tug had been at the Marine Service Center since Oct. 1.
