A fire in the boiler room of a cruise ship carrying nearly 3,000 people prompted the vessel to return to port in Seattle, officials said. Holland America said that there were no injuries among the passengers and crew of the Westerdam from Saturday's blaze. "A small fire in one of the boiler rooms" that occurred after the vessel set sail was quickly extinguished, the company said. Public Relations Vice President Sally Andrews said early Sunday that after the fire the Coast Guard inspected the ship and cleared it to sail again, which could occur before dawn.
Sign up for breaking news alerts from NBC News
The Seattle Times reported that the flames broke out around 5 p.m. PDT as the vessel was in Puget Sound near Kingston. The crew knocked the fire down, but a while later it restarted. A combination of high-pressure mist and crew members with hoses extinguished the fire, Kyle Moore, spokesman for the Seattle Fire Department, told the paper. Holland America brought the ship back "out of an abundance of caution and in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard," the company said.
In-Depth
- Cruise Ships Rely Too Much on Technology, Captain Says
- CDC: Cruise Outbreak Caused by New Virus Strain