There was a fire on the container ship ZIM KINGSTON on October 23, 2021. At the time, the vessel was berthed off the coast of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, having arrived from Busan, South Korea. Reports indicate multiple containers on board the vessel caught fire. The containers are believed to contain 57 tons of xanthates, a dangerous chemical. Sixteen crew members have been evacuated from the vessel, with five remaining on board to fight the fire. The fire resulted in dangerous chemical smoke being created. On Friday, the vessel encountered rough weather, and is reported to have lost forty containers overboard. It is unclear if anyone was injured in the fire or in efforts to extinguish it.
There have been a number of recent incidents involving vessels. A longshoreman was injured in a fall on the bulk carrier vessel ST GEORGE on October 13, 2021. There was a deadly incident on the bulk carrier LUDOGORETS on October 13, 2021. There was a fire on the general cargo ship DOREEN on October 17, 2021. There was a fire on the general cargo ship M V MEHMET UNLU on October 20, 2021. There was an outbreak of COVID-19 on the chemical tanker ship BOW SUMMER.
Safe maritime companies must perform regular maintenance and inspections in order to ensure the safety of their crew members. When ship operators fail to conduct regular maintenance and inspection of the equipment on their vessels, dangerous incidents can result. This not only puts the lives of hardworking seamen at risk, but can also endanger members of the public.
Our experienced lawyers handle maritime personal injury and wrongful death litigation of all kinds and the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured as a result of the negligence of another party. The lawyers of Spagnoletti Law Firm have handled maritime lawsuits throughout the country. Our attorneys have previously handled injury cases arising from fires on cargo vessels.
The experienced and aggressive vessel accident attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of an accident on a ship. There are strict and short time limits on making claims related to maritime injuries, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your rights.