The high-speed excursion vessel Klondike Express was damaged by a fire at the Chugach Glacier Gateway cruise terminal in Whittier, Alaska.
The fire was reported at approximately 11:00 local time on 14 September at the city’s commercial cruise terminal. Klondike Express was moored beside the affected dock when flames, heat and smoke reached the vessel.
Phillips Cruises & Tours, the operator of Klondike Express, stressed that the fire did not originate aboard the vessel. The boat sustained damage from the burning neighbouring dock facilities.
There were no passengers or crew members aboard Klondike Express at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.
Emergency responders moved the vessel away from the dock to allow firefighters to continue tackling the blaze. The full extent of the damage to Klondike Express has not yet been disclosed.
The United States Coast Guard established a 500-yard safety zone around the fire and asked residents and visitors to remain clear of the area.
The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Norwegian Jade, which was also berthed at the terminal, safely departed the area.
Phillips Cruises & Tours said it would continue operating in the region using its other vessels, which remain unaffected. The cause of the fire and the total extent of the damage remain under investigation.
