There is no immediate risk of fire aboard the Genius Star XI, according to a statement from the Coast Guard released Sunday evening.
The container ship caught fire in its cargo hold last week when crossing the Pacific, and was directed to Dutch Harbor where it arrived Friday.
The fire has been contained within a cargo hold containing lithium-ion batteries, which makes the fire difficult to extinguish and also carries the risk of explosion.
The hold was sealed and a team of marine firefighters has been monitoring the temperatures to determine if the fire has been extinguished or runs the risk of a re-flash.
“The Salvage and Marine Firefighting Team determined the atmosphere inside the affected cargo hold remains non-flammable, indicating no immediate risk of fire,” the statement said. “The team used a remote sensing tool to gain the readings and the cargo holds remain sealed.”
There is still a one-mile safety zone around the ship. The fire’s cause has not yet been identified. An investigation is expected once the initial response is complete.
