On September 9th, a settlement exceeding $16 million was reached in the lawsuit stemming from the fire incident aboard the HOEGH XIAMEN. The settlement involved 11 firefighters from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and was agreed upon with Hoegh Autoliners (the vessel owner), Grimaldi Deep Sea (the operator), and port services companies Horizon Terminal Services and SSA Marine.
The fire occurred on June 4, 2020, at the Jacksonville, Florida port. Over a hundred firefighters responded to the blaze and successfully evacuated 21 crew members, all of whom were reported to be uninjured. However, some firefighters sustained injuries from an explosion during the incident.
Источник: Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the fire and identified several contributing factors. A major issue was the crew’s failure to follow Grimaldi’s policy of disconnecting car batteries, which led to the fire starting from a spark. Additionally, the crew’s inadequate communication with local emergency services and their limited English proficiency were noted. The fire detection system was also found to be deactivated after cargo loading, which delayed the request for assistance.
The vessel HOEGH XIAMEN, along with its cargo of 2 420 vehicles, was declared a total loss of $40 million in August 2020. The firefighters’ law firm, Pajcic & Pajcic, confirmed that the settlement was reached with each defendant before the trial began, with Hoegh Autoliners settling confidentially.
