By Shane Harms

At approximately 6:14 p.m., the Seattle Fire Department responded to a small fire in Fisherman's Terminal that occurred while crew members were making repairs on Oceanic Cape, a 100 ft., thirty-year-old fish processing ship.

The fire was caused when a fuel line was accidentally cut by welding and less than five gallons of residual diesel fuel spilled into a vacant space below deck called the "void." Crew members flooded the room and were able to put out the blaze with fire extinguishers.

SFD Spokesman Kyle Moore said 27 units responded, including units from Ballard, Queen Anne, and Greenwood. Harbor patrol boats were also called.

"Ship, pier, and marine fires call for the most attention because these vessels are all very close together and full of fuel making fires spread quickly."

Moore explained that a commercial vacuum truck will remove the rest of the water and fuel mixture.

Captain Kieran Kelly said the fuel lines to the tank were dry so there was not a lot of fuel for the fire to burn. "We were lucky that the crew acted so quickly and that the responders got here when they did."

Oceanic cape was in harbor for repairs and was set to leave next week.
"Now we will have to stay a little longer I imagine," Kelly said.

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