There was no on-board fire or injuries following a small explosion that occurred on a cargo ship in Burrard Inlet yesterday evening, according to Transport Canada.
The explosion occurred just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday after an issue occurred with the fumigation hatch aboard the Minoan Glory, a 225-metre cargo ship registered out of Liberia.
Many people jumped to social media to report on a loud bang and white smoke which was seen billowing from the vessel following the explosion.
Alison Smith was enjoying a relaxing evening with friends at Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver when she heard the loud blast.
“It was louder than when you’re near the speakers at a rock concert,” said Smith. “The smoke wasn’t coming towards us, but we also weren’t sure what was going on and then we started to hear all these sirens after sirens after sirens.”
Emergency crews, including the Canadian Coast Guard, were deployed to the scene soon after, but stood down when it was determined that the issue was with the ship’s fumigation hatch and not a fire, oil spill, or threat to life.
The vessel’s seaworthiness and structural integrity will be reviewed before the vessel departs, according to Transport Canada.
