Unified Command Responding to ‘Kodiak Enterprise’ Fire Stands Down

The Unified Command responding to the fire aboard the fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise in the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, Washington has stood down.

The Unified Command was composed of Tacoma Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, Washington Department of Ecology, and Puyallup Tribe of Indians, with support from several other agencies.

Over the last two weeks, responders have been working to remove fuel and pockets of water to maintain the vessel’s stability. All remaining diesel aboard the vessel was successfully removed with no fuel spilled or sheening observed during defueling operations.

Now that the pollution threat has been mitigated, the Unified Command has stood down. The incident commanders expressed gratitude to the teams who responded to the fire and conducted salvage work over the last two weeks.

“This was a dangerous operation that could have resulted in the loss of life, harm to the marine environment from the fuel onboard, or capsizing of the vessel,” said Cmdr. Kira Moody, the Coast Guard incident commander. “On behalf of the Unified Command, I share immense gratitude and appreciation for the responders from Tacoma Fire and Resolve Marine. Their steady and professional approach made this response a success.”

The fire on the Kodiak Enterprise started on April 8 as the vessel was docked at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway. The fire appears to have started in the forward portion of the 276-foot ship and later spread throughout the vessel. There was a reported 55,000 gallons of diesel on board.

“We are thankful the fuel transfer was safe and efficient, and there was no diesel released,” said Alison Meyers, the state on-scene coordinator from the Washington Department of Ecology. “I’d like to thank all the responders who put in a lot of hours during this extended incident. The coordination between all parties was key to getting this fire out and vessel defueled.”

“This has been an incredibly challenging time, and we are grateful for the support and collaboration of all the agencies and parties in fighting the fire and stabilizing the vessel,” said Joe Bundrant, the CEO of Trident Seafoods. “We also appreciate the patience of the surrounding Tacoma community throughout the incident response. The Kodiak Enterprise is more than just a fishing vessel to the Trident family, especially to her crew.”

The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the incident. The final plan for the vessel has not been determined.

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