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Cargo ship (symbol image)
Photo: Marcus Brandt / dpa
The Canadian and US Coast Guards have followed a fire on a container transporter off the Pacific coast with concern.
The 260-meter-long ship "ZIM Kingston" initially lost around 40 containers in heavy seas, as Canadian media reported on Saturday evening.
Shortly afterwards, two containers on board caught fire.
Since the containers contained unspecified hazardous material, the flames could not be fought with water.
According to media reports, a complete evacuation of the ship has now been considered.
Ten crew members evacuated
The flames on board included two containers loaded with a total of 52 tons of chemicals, as reported by the broadcaster CBC News, citing the coast guard.
At least ten crew members were brought to safety after the fire broke out, according to media reports.
The cause of the fire initially remained unclear.
The ship, which sails under the flag of Malta, was meanwhile anchored in Juan de Fuca Strait, the sea route that leads to Vancouver in Canada or to Seattle in Washington State.
muk / dpa / AFP
