What we know about the fishing vessel fire in Tacoma

The Kodiak Enterprise, a fishing vessel in Tacoma, caught fire early Saturday morning while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway.

The Tacoma Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, the state Department of Ecology and other agencies responded.

Here’s what we know.

What happened?

On Sunday, authorities said the fire reached about 100 feet from the vessel’s Freon tanks. The heat from the fire can build pressure on the tanks, which have heat-activated valves that will release Freon to prevent an explosion.

The Coast Guard has also closed the Hylebos Waterway for all commercial and recreational vessel traffic. Responders fought the fire by providing cooling spray on the outside of the vessel. Officials on Tuesday morning said the fire was no longer actively burning.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Who was asked to shelter in place?

Residents of northeast Tacoma, Browns Point and Dash Point were asked to shelter in place to limit smoke exposure, according to the Coast Guard. As the fire continued to burn late Sunday, Twin Lakes and Green Gables residents were also advised to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure due to the smoke, Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell wrote on Twitter.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted Monday morning, according to the Coast Guard.

How much fuel and Freon was on board?

The vessel was reported to have onboard an estimated 55,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 19,000 pounds of Freon, a noncombustible gas used as a refrigerant in air conditioning applications.

While Freon can be toxic if inhaled in large quantities or in a confined space, the release of the refrigerant into the atmosphere is not expected to pose health and safety risks to the public, according to the Coast Guard.

To ensure safety, residents in the surrounding area should remain indoors and limit exposure to smoke. As a precautionary measure, the EPA has been monitoring air quality.

Some areas, including western Browns Point, have shown elevated levels, said Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Stephen Nolan. However, the overall air quality is below the threshold for “dangerous.” Monitoring was to continue through the night.

Are there signs of pollution in the water?

There are no signs of pollution in the water, the news release said. As a preventive measure, responders spread layers of containment boom, a floating barrier that prevents pollution from spreading.