Houston Channel Reopened After Blaze
The Coast Guard reopened the Houston Ship Channel on Saturday after firefighters extinguished a blaze on a tanker that injured 13 people, officials said.
Firefighters extinguished the flames on the 374-foot Seta, a Panamanian-flag vessel, but two pumper boats, a ladder truck and a firefighting team remained to guard against hot spots flaring up.
The fire will continue smoldering for several days because of insulation aboard the vessel, said Coast Guard Lt. Robert Hennessy.
The three-alarm blaze Friday night prompted closure of the channel to prevent the fire from spreading to other vessels.
The fire started when a flammable liquid in the water ignited, Hennessy said. The blaze spread to the Seta’s living quarters.
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