Latest news with #fireIncident
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Suspended sentence over Blackburn fatal car workshop fire
A director of a former car garage in Blackburn has been handed a suspended sentence after a man died in a fire at the broke out at Smart Auto Parts Ltd on 24 April 2021 at about 18:35 BST, engulfing the car parts scrapyard and workshop building and was intensified by the presence of gas cylinders and an asbestos sheet body of Waqas Qureshi was found four days later, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) Syed Haider, from Manchester, was handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, at Preston Crown Court after previously admitting 13 fire safety breaches. The 50-year-old pleaded guilty to breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, including failure to equip the premises with appropriate fire detection and alarm systems, failure to maintain fire safety equipment and failure to provide employees with relevant fire safety training. 'Complete devastation' At the time of the blaze the building contained 16 vehicles and a forklift truck, the fire service presence of acetylene and LPG cylinders and an asbestos sheet roof, caused "complete devastation to the structure and its contents", it added.A fire safety investigation on 30 April 2021 uncovered several serious fire safety deficiencies at the premises, including no fire alarm system, blocked and inadequate escape routes, lack of emergency lighting and no staff fire safety area manager, Matthew Hamer, said: "This tragic incident highlights the devastating consequences of neglecting fire safety responsibilities. "These breaches contributed to the tragic death of Mr Waqas Qureshi and our thoughts are with his family at this time."The outcome of this case should serve as a stark reminder that fire safety is not optional - it is a legal and moral obligation." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Cargo ship carrying 3,000 new vehicles sinks off Alaska weeks after catching fire
A cargo ship that had been delivering new vehicles to Mexico sank in the North Pacific Ocean, weeks after crew members abandoned ship when they couldn't extinguish an onboard fire that left the carrier dead in the water. The Morning Midas sank Monday in international water off Alaska's Aleutian Islands chain, the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime, said in a statement. "There is no visible pollution," said Petty Officer Cameron Snell, an Alaska-based U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson. "Right now we also have vessels on scene to respond to any pollution." The Coast Guard said that the vessel reportedly had 350 metric tons of marine gas oil and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil onboard. In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, smoke rises from cargo vessel Morning Midas approximately 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska, June 3, 2025, as the crew of a cargo ship carrying about 3,000 vehicles to Mexico, abandoned ship after they could not control a fire. (U.S. Coast Guard/Courtesy of Air Station Kodiak via AP) / AP Fire damage compounded by bad weather and water seepage caused the carrier to sink in waters about 16,400 feet deep and about 415 miles from land, the statement said. The ship was loaded with about 3,000 new vehicles intended for a major Pacific port in Mexico. It was not immediately clear if any of the cars were removed before it sank, and Zodiac Maritime did not immediately respond to messages Tuesday. A salvage crew arrived days after the fire disabled the vehicle. Two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment will remain on scene to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris, the company said. The crew members of those two ships were not injured when the Morning Midas sank. "The safety of the responders remains our top priority," Capt. Christopher Culpepper, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic, said in a statement. "We're working closely with Zodiac Maritime in an advisory capacity to ensure a swift and effective response to any potential signs of pollution." Zodiac Maritime said it is also sending another specialized pollution response vessel to the location as an added precaution. The Coast Guard said it received a distress alert June 3 about a fire aboard the Morning Midas, which then was roughly 300 miles southwest of Adak Island. There were 22 crew members onboard the Morning Midas. All evacuated to a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby merchant marine vessel. There were no injuries. Among the cars were about 70 fully electric and about 680 hybrid vehicles. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles, the Coast Guard and Zodiac Maritime said at the time. Adak is about 1,200 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. The 600-foot Morning Midas was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The car and truck carrier left Yantai, China, on May 26 en route to Mexico, according to the industry site A Dutch safety board in a recent report called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire aboard a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. One person was killed and others injured in the fire, which burned out of control for a week. That ship was eventually towed to a Netherlands port for salvage.
The Independent
5 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Cargo ship carrying new vehicles sinks in international waters
A cargo ship that had been delivering about 3,000 new vehicles to Mexico sank in the North Pacific Ocean, just weeks after crew members abandoned ship when they couldn't extinguish an onboard fire that left the carrier dead in the water. The Morning Midas sank in international waters off Alaska 's Aleutian Islands chain on Monday, the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime, said. Fire damage compounded by bad weather and water seepage has been blamed for causing the carrier to sink in waters about 16,404 feet (5,000 meters) deep and about 415 miles (770 kilometers) from land. 'There is no visible pollution,' said Petty Officer Cameron Snell, an Alaska-based U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson. "Right now, we also have vessels on scene to respond to any pollution.' The ship was loaded with about 3,000 new vehicles intended for a major Pacific port in Mexico. It was not immediately clear if any of the cars were removed before it sank, and Zodiac Maritime did not immediately respond to messages on Tuesday. A savage crew arrived days after the fire disabled the vehicle. Two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment will remain on scene to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris, the company said. The crew members of those two ships were not injured when the Morning Midas sank. Zodiac Maritime said it is also sending another specialized pollution response vessel to the location as an added precaution. The Coast Guard said it received a distress alert June 3 about a fire aboard the Morning Midas, which was then roughly 300 miles (490 kilometers) southwest of Adak Island. All 22 crew members onboard the Morning Midas were evacuated to a lifeboat and later rescued by a nearby merchant marine vessel. There were no injuries. Among the cars were about 70 fully electric and about 680 hybrid vehicles. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles, the Coast Guard and Zodiac Maritime said at the time. Adak is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. The 600-foot (183-meter) Morning Midas was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The car and truck carrier left Yantai, China, on May 26 en route to Mexico, according to the industry site A Dutch safety board in a recent report called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire aboard a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. One person was killed and others injured in the fire, which burned out of control for a week. That ship was eventually towed to a Netherlands port for salvage.
CNN
5 days ago
- General
- CNN
Cargo ship carrying new vehicles to Mexico sinks in the North Pacific weeks after catching fire
Anchorage, Alaska (AP) — A cargo ship that had been delivering new vehicles to Mexico sank in the North Pacific Ocean, weeks after crew members abandoned ship when they couldn't extinguish an onboard fire that left the carrier dead in the water. The Morning Midas sank Monday in international waters off Alaska's Aleutian Islands chain, the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime, said in a statement. 'There is no visible pollution,' said Petty Officer Cameron Snell, an Alaska-based U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson. 'Right now we also have vessels on scene to respond to any pollution.' Fire damage compounded by bad weather and water seepage caused the carrier to sink in waters about 16,404 feet (5,000 meters) deep and about 415 miles (770 kilometers) from land, the statement said. The ship was loaded with about 3,000 new vehicles intended for a major Pacific port in Mexico. It was not immediately clear if any of the cars were removed before it sank, and Zodiac Maritime did not immediately respond to messages Tuesday. A salvage crew arrived days after the fire disabled the vehicle. Two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment will remain on scene to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris, the company said. The crew members of those two ships were not injured when the Morning Midas sank. Zodiac Maritime said it is also sending another specialized pollution response vessel to the location as an added precaution. The Coast Guard said it received a distress alert June 3 about a fire aboard the Morning Midas, which then was roughly 300 miles (490 kilometers) southwest of Adak Island. There were 22 crew members onboard the Morning Midas. All evacuated to a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby merchant marine vessel. There were no injuries. Among the cars were about 70 fully electric and about 680 hybrid vehicles. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles, the Coast Guard and Zodiac Maritime said at the time. Adak is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. The 600-foot (183-meter) Morning Midas was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The car and truck carrier left Yantai, China, on May 26 en route to Mexico, according to the industry site A Dutch safety board in a recent report called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire aboard a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. One person was killed and others injured in the fire, which burned out of control for a week. That ship was eventually towed to a Netherlands port for salvage.
CNN
5 days ago
- General
- CNN
Cargo ship carrying new vehicles to Mexico sinks in the North Pacific weeks after catching fire
Anchorage, Alaska (AP) — A cargo ship that had been delivering new vehicles to Mexico sank in the North Pacific Ocean, weeks after crew members abandoned ship when they couldn't extinguish an onboard fire that left the carrier dead in the water. The Morning Midas sank Monday in international waters off Alaska's Aleutian Islands chain, the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime, said in a statement. 'There is no visible pollution,' said Petty Officer Cameron Snell, an Alaska-based U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson. 'Right now we also have vessels on scene to respond to any pollution.' Fire damage compounded by bad weather and water seepage caused the carrier to sink in waters about 16,404 feet (5,000 meters) deep and about 415 miles (770 kilometers) from land, the statement said. The ship was loaded with about 3,000 new vehicles intended for a major Pacific port in Mexico. It was not immediately clear if any of the cars were removed before it sank, and Zodiac Maritime did not immediately respond to messages Tuesday. A salvage crew arrived days after the fire disabled the vehicle. Two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment will remain on scene to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris, the company said. The crew members of those two ships were not injured when the Morning Midas sank. Zodiac Maritime said it is also sending another specialized pollution response vessel to the location as an added precaution. The Coast Guard said it received a distress alert June 3 about a fire aboard the Morning Midas, which then was roughly 300 miles (490 kilometers) southwest of Adak Island. There were 22 crew members onboard the Morning Midas. All evacuated to a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby merchant marine vessel. There were no injuries. Among the cars were about 70 fully electric and about 680 hybrid vehicles. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles, the Coast Guard and Zodiac Maritime said at the time. Adak is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. The 600-foot (183-meter) Morning Midas was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The car and truck carrier left Yantai, China, on May 26 en route to Mexico, according to the industry site A Dutch safety board in a recent report called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire aboard a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. One person was killed and others injured in the fire, which burned out of control for a week. That ship was eventually towed to a Netherlands port for salvage.
