Fire breaks out on cargo ship in Lagos

Fire broke out aboard a cargo vessel, CHANG MIN (IMO 9622801), on Friday evening while it was docked at the ENL Terminal in Apapa Port, Lagos.

The incident occurred during cargo offloading activities and prompted an immediate multi-agency emergency response.

According to Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the fire began at approximately 5:55 pm, affecting the second section of the ship’s cargo hold.

The vessel was transporting highly flammable items, including CNG-powered trucks, wooden goods, and tyres.

Emergency services arrived swiftly to initiate a coordinated response, working closely with the vessel’s crew to assess the situation and implement safety protocols.

Initial measures involved sealing off the affected cargo hold to restrict oxygen flow and suppress the flames.

This was followed by a carefully planned firefighting operation that allowed crews to re-enter the compartment and fully extinguish the blaze.

“There were no casualties and no injuries were sustained to anyone as all seafarers on board have been accounted for,” said Oke-Osanyintolu.

He confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished and that recovery operations had been concluded. The exact cause of the incident remains unknown and is under investigation.

“Preliminary investigations conducted by Emergency responders at the scene revealed that the fire was observed at the point of unloading and the cause is yet to be ascertained at time of report,” he added.

Responding agencies included the LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority Fire Unit, and ENL Consortium Ltd.