Video: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Damaged in Fire at Tampa Shipyard

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter caught fire while undergoing maintenance in a drydock at the Port of Tampa Bay, according to local first responders. 

Last week, the cutter Benjamin Dailey was in a drydock at the Tampa Ship facility in Tampa's inner harbor. At about 1930 hours on Friday, workers at the dry dock saw smoke coming from the vessel and called 911. 

Three fire engines were dispatched to the scene, and the first fire crews who arrived saw smoke and flames from "below the deck . . . through the roof of the vessel." The incident commander called for more firefighters and resources in order to manage the risk of the fire spreading. 

According to the fire department, the blaze was under control within about 45 minutes and extinguished within an hour. No injuries were reported, and Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ayla Hudson told Tampa Bay Times that no one was aboard.

An arson investigator attended the scene of the fire, and an inquiry into the cause of the blaze is under way. 

USCGC Benjamin Dailey is a 150-foot Sentinel-class cutter, and she is the 23rd vessel in the series. She was delivered by Bollinger in April 2017 and has been homeported in Pascagoula, Mississippi ever since. She played a role in the search and rescue response after the capsizing of the jackup rig Seacor Power in April 2021.