Swift and coordinated action successfully averted a potential disaster yesterday following a fire that broke out aboard the 2,826 teu MSC CapeTown III which was berthed at Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) at the port of Colombo. The 18-year-old vessel was in the midst of discharging 995 teu and loading 880 teu at the time of the incident.
A fire broke out in a hatch area near the accommodation block which then led to an explosion.
The explosion occurred below deck. The cargo above deck had already been discharged, with the dangerous cargo in one container among them.
Firefighters, in collaboration with other port services, acted swiftly to extinguish the fire and safely remove the affected cargo.
Investigations into the cause of the fire and the status of the cargo are ongoing.