Car Carrier Catches Fire in Antwerp

[Brief] The car carrier Silver Sky caught fire at a dock in Antwerp in the early hours of Thursday morning, sending up a plume of smoke visible for miles. 

Local media report that firefighting teams were not able to enter the vessel for several hours and instead used water jets from the pier and from three tugs to cool the Sky's hull. 

24 crewmembers were brought off the Sky and given accommodations on shore. 

The vessel was still smoking and response tugs were still cooling her with water jets as of daybreak on Thursday. 

The Sky was loaded with her usual cargo of used cars at the time of the fire, intended for the export trade to Africa. 

Records from Equasis show that in March, authorities in Antwerp detained the Sky for a period of five days for deficiencies related to fire safety, in addition to concerns regarding the condition of her main engine, electrical systems and navigation equipment.