Trawler catches fire while at berth in Montevideo

A fire broke out on a fishing vessel that had been berthed at the Port of Montevideo in Uruguay on Tuesday, June 23.

The incident occurred at around 11:00 local time when the blaze ignited in the processing compartment of the South Korean-flagged freezer trawler Sur Este 709.

The trawler’s crew and the crews of other nearby vessels were safely evacuated by responding rescue teams as firefighters worked to prevent the flames from spreading further.

As the fire raged, Sur Este 709 was towed farther out into Montevideo Bay after local authorities learned that the trawler had four tonnes of ammonia on board for refrigeration purposes and therefore carried a high risk of explosion.

Authorities said the fire was still raging on the vessel but had significantly decreased in intensity by 21:30 on Tuesday.