• Around 40 shipping containers went overboard 
  • when a cargo ship hit rough seas on Friday.
  • A fire broke out Saturday on the same ship, the 
  • Zim Kingston, while anchored near Vancouver Island.
  • US and Canadian officials are monitoring the
  •  situation, including some containers with 
  • "hazardous materials."

The US Coast Guard said in a tweet Friday they were monitoring 

adrift shipping containers that went overboard after an inbound 

vessel en route to Canada encountered rough seas. Photos shared 

by the coast guard showed some of the shipping containers afloat 

in the open ocean.

The US Coast Guard said Friday 35 floating containers had 

been located. As of Saturday, five had still not been located, 

and officials were warning other vessels to be extremely 

cautious in the area as the containers "may be partially 

submerged and not visible," the Vancouver Sun reported.

The Canadian Coast Guard told the outlet some of the 

containers that fell held hazardous materials, and that the

 agency would assess for any "pollution threats and hazards."

A day after the containers fell from the Zim Kingston, a fire 

broke out on the ship while it was anchored near Victoria, 

according to the Canadian Coast Guard. The agency told 

CHEK News reporter Jasmine Bala the fire started in 

damaged containers that were still onboard.

The Canadian Coast Guard told Bala two of the six containers 

that are on fire contain "hazardous material." They also said 

10 crew members were evacuated while 11 remain on the ship, 

with no reports of injuries.

In a warning to other vessels, the Canadian Coast Guard 

established an emergency zone around the Zim Kingston, 

saying: "The ship is on fire and expelling toxic gas. Two 

fallen containers are floating in the vicinity of the vessel. 

Caution."

Fire on Cargo Ship That Lost Shipping Containers Off 

Vancouver Island (businessinsider.com)