Ship Blaze Under Control off Mumbai

A major fire aboard the Colombo-bound merchant vessel 'Amsterdam Bridge' off Mumbai coast reportedly contained & cooling operations underway.

Indian Coast Guard officials said, "The flames have been contained but not extinguished. A thick plume of smoke continues to emanate from the vessel and fire-fighting as well as cooling operations are on."

The ship, carrying hazardous cargo, caught fire near the Prongs Reef Lighthouse in South Mumbai, reports the Hindustan Times.

Coast Guard officials said that they have not witnessed any oil spill so far even though the ship fuel tank contained 2,600 tonnes of heavy fuel.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known but the actual seat of the fire has been localised in hold number three of the vessel, officials said.

Apart from four Indian Coast Guard ships -- ICGS Samudra Prahari, ICGS Subhadra Kumari Chouhan, ICGS Sankalp, ICGS Sangram -- two Indian naval vessels, two Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) fire-fighting tugs and five ONGC tugs are assisting the Coast Guard in containing the fire.

The crew of the 54,405 dwt vessel is safe, they said.