Major cargo ship fire at city dock extinguished

A major fire on board a cargo ship at a Hull dock has been extinguished, the fire service has said.

Humberside Fire and Rescue crews were called to Albert Dock at about 10:20 BST on Friday after the blaze started in a cargo hold containing 3,500 tonnes of scrap metal, causing a plume of smoke to spread across the city centre.

The fire was brought under control by about 05:00 BST on Saturday and crews remained at the scene to ensure there was no risk of reignition, a fire service spokesperson said. All those on board had been accounted for it had earlier been confirmed.

However, people would still be able to see and smell smoke in the area, the fire service said.

The spokesperson added: "Well done to our firefighters who worked through the night, continuously dampening down the cargo hold to bring the fire under control.

"Thank you also to our Control Room staff who took the initial 999 calls, coordinated communications with partner agencies and managed the logistics of relief crews throughout the incident.

"We'd also like to thank the port authorities and our emergency service partners for their ongoing support."

The fire service spokesperson warned people living and working nearby: "You may still see wisps of steam from the dock as part of the cooling process.

"Please do not be alarmed. There is also a strong smell of smoke in the area."

At its height, five fire engines, an aerial platform and fire crews trained in marine response were involved in the operation to bring the fire under control.

The BBC identified the vessel involved as the Altay, a bulk carrier which had been docked in the city since 23 June.

During the blaze, the direction of the wind had pushed smoke towards Hull city centre, and, as a result, police closed the Kingston Retail Park, the Marina, English Street, Wellington Street and Jackson Street. Those closures were lifted later in the evening.

Hull Combined Court and Hull Magistrates' Court were also temporarily closed and cases were adjourned or moved online.

Meanwhile, Hull City Council said on Friday that the site of The Big Malarkey Festival in East Park had been evacuated as a precaution.

The children's literary festival had been holding sessions for schoolchildren there ahead of public events on Saturday and Sunday.

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