Fire on Cruise Dock in Whittier Damages Harbor Tour Catamaran

A fire on the structure of a newly-constructed cruise ship pier caused substantial damage to a moored tour vessel at Whittier, Alaska, according to the operator and local authorities.

At about 1100 hours on Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard received notice of a large blaze on the dock at the new north cruise ship terminal. On arrival, first responders found flames consuming the wooden decking of the pier. The year-old facility did not have working fire hydrants, requiring responders to shuttle water by truck over a ten-minute drive to the site, according to the Anchorage Fire Department.

The large cruise ship Norwegian Jade was in the vicinity, but departed her berth and was not affected.

A local harbor cruise vessel, Klondike Express, sustained damage from the fire, her operator confirmed. Photos from the scene show that her aluminum hull suffered melting damage in a limited area on the port side amidships, where she had been moored. The upper decks also showed signs of flame and smoke damage on the exterior. During the course of the firefighting effort, Klondike Express was released and towed away from the pier, preventing further damage.

Operator Phillips Cruises said that it was continuing tour operations with its other vessels, which were unaffected.

"Our M/V Klondike Express may be wounded, but she remains strong. There was no fire aboard—or originating from—our vessel. The damage she sustained resulted from the flames, heat, and smoke from the dock fire while she was moored alongside it," the company said.

No injuries were reported from the fire, and with assistance from nearby fire departments (and the tug Krystal Sea), the blaze was under control by early Tuesday morning. The Coast Guard and the state fire marshal have begun an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Road access into Whittier by the town's one-lane road/rail tunnel was temporarily shut for about three hours on Monday, allowing external fire departments and other first responders to get in quickly.

"This response extended far beyond Whittier,” said Whittier City Manager Jackie Wilde in a statement. “Firefighters came through the tunnel, marine crews attacked the fire from the water, dispatchers coordinated resources, and businesses and agencies stepped forward to help. The City of Whittier is grateful to everyone who answered the call.”