Whittier terminal fire damages Klondike Express, prompts Norwegian Jade departure
No injuries or fuel sheen were reported after the Sept. 14 incident at Alaska’s Chugach Glacier Gateway cruise terminal.
A fire at the Chugach Glacier Gateway cruise terminal in Whittier, Alaska, damaged the passenger catamaran Klondike Express and prompted Norwegian Jade to leave its berth on Sept. 14. The incident drew a response from multiple agencies, and no injuries were reported.
The Klondike Express, operated by Phillips Cruises & Tours, was moored at the terminal without passengers aboard when the fire was reported. The Coast Guard initially said the catamaran caught fire and that flames aboard it were extinguished after the vessel was released from the pier. Casey Neumann, managing partner of Phillips Cruises & Tours, disputed that account, saying the vessel itself was never on fire. Neumann said the catamaran nevertheless sustained significant damage.
The Coast Guard established a 500-yard safety zone and deployed personnel from Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic, a Station Valdez response boat crew and a pollution response team. NOAA reported on Sept. 15 that all 2,000 gallons of diesel aboard the Klondike Express were accounted for and that no sheen had been observed.
Phillips Cruises & Tours said operations would continue with other vessels in its fleet. The fire’s cause and origin remained under investigation as of Sept. 15.