While there is a bad event in the automobile world with each passing day, the latest development came from the Dutch offshore. A crew was killed and several injured in a massive fire on a cargo ship carrying around 3,000 cars.
Fire on cargo ship carrying electric cars in the Netherlands
A fire broke out on a cargo ship off the coast of the Netherlands. Although the cause of the massive fire is not yet known, it is thought to have been caused by the battery of an electric car. The 199-metre Fremantle Highway was on its way from Germany to Egypt.
It was stated that as a result of the fire that broke out on Tuesday night, one person on the ship died and several employees were injured by being caught in the flames. In addition, several crew members had to jump into the sea as the flames engulfed the ship.
Shoei Kisen Kaisha firm, which owns Fremantle Highway, said they were investigating the fire with Dutch coast guard teams. However, during the statement made, he pointed out that “the probability of the fire started with electric cars is high”.
The company stated that there are approximately 25 electric vehicles on board the cargo ship. The make and models of the cars on board are uncertain.
Coast guards have been spraying water since yesterday evening to extinguish the ship and prevent it from sinking. But officials warn that the fire could continue for several more days. For this reason, it was removed from the open of the country and prevented from damaging ecologically sensitive areas.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, this incident has raised concerns about the fire risks associated with the transportation of electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries. Freight forwarders may need to be doubly careful when transporting electric vehicles in high temperatures.
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