Fire Breaks Out On Cargo Ship Carrying CNG Trucks At Lagos Port

A fire broke out on a cargo ship named CHANG MIN (IMO 9622801) on Friday evening, June 20, 2025, while it was docked at Shed 8 of the ENL Consortium Terminal in Apapa Port, Lagos.

The incident happened around 5:55 p.m. during cargo unloading activities. According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the fire began in section two of the vessel’s cargo hold, which contained highly combustible items such as compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks, wooden products, tyres, iron rods, and construction machinery.

Emergency responders from multiple agencies arrived quickly after receiving distress alerts. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASEMA Response Team from Onipanu, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Fire Unit, ENL Terminal’s own fire team, and the Dangote Fire Team all worked together to control the blaze from both land and sea.

The NPA Marine Division confirmed that they received a fire alert from the vessel around 3:00 p.m. and immediately activated their emergency preparedness system. The NPA’s firefighting tugboats fought the flames from the sea while other responders tackled the fire from the land side.

LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that when emergency crews reached the scene, the fire was actively burning in the cargo area.

As a first step, the affected compartment was sealed off to reduce oxygen and slow the fire. This was followed by a carefully coordinated plan to re-enter the compartment safely and put out the flames completely.

Preliminary investigations at the scene showed that the fire started during the unloading process, though the exact cause is still unknown.

No one was hurt, and all crew members on the vessel were safe and confirmed present. Emergency teams also conducted debriefs with the ship’s crew to gather more details, locate the source of the fire, and review the ship’s layout.

The fire was successfully extinguished, and recovery operations were concluded without any reported harm to personnel or surrounding port infrastructure.

The NPA praised the collaboration between agencies and reaffirmed its commitment to safety, quick response, and continuous improvement in handling port emergencies.

References: dailypost, the guardian

Source: Maritime Shipping News