On November 21, 2025, a fire aboard the vessel ONE HENRY HUDSON, docked at the Port of Los Angeles, sparked a complex emergency operation involving several local, state and federal agencies.
From the time the fire was reported at around 6:38 p.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department(LAFD), along with the Long Beach Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Los Angeles Harbor Police and other entities, initiated a coordinated effort to control the fire and ensure the safety of the crew, emergency personnel and nearby residents.
The action plan for the ship ONE HENRY HUDSON
Throughout the incident, a Unified Command was established to manage the response to the fire, uniting the efforts of different agencies on land, sea and air. The LAFD deployed nearly 200 personnel, supported by fireboats, heavy rescue teams, hazardous materials units and air operations. In addition, the Coast Guard and Long Beach Fire Department provided crucial support with specialized units, including foam boats and rescue equipment.
The ONE HENRY HUDSON housed 23 crew members who initially helped firefighters gain access to the vessel’s lower decks to fight the fire. Fortunately, all crew members were rescued safely thanks to the intervention of the Port Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Despite the magnitude of the fire, surprisingly, no injuries were reported at any time.
The fire quickly escalated, with the fire spreading to several sublevels of the ship, areas that were difficult to access, complicating firefighting efforts. In addition, at around 8:00 p.m.,an explosion amidships left the ship without power, creating even more risks for rescue teams. The presence of hazardous materials on board also required constant air quality monitoring in the vicinity of the fire. However, air quality readings in the smoke plume remained within normal limits, allowing authorities to lift precautionary confinement orders for residents of San Pedro and Wilmington.
In an effort to minimize the risk to port infrastructure port infrastructure and nearby residents, the Unified Command made the decision to move the vessel to open water. At 3:00 a.m. on November 22, coordinated agencies began undocking the ONE HENRY HUDSON and escorting it out of the harbor beyond the Vincent Thomas Bridge. At 4:43 a.m., the vessel was safely anchored about a mile offshore near Angel’s Gate Lighthouse, where firefighting operations continued, and salvage crews began their work.
The firefighting operation, which included the use of advanced technologies such as aircraft thermal imaging, enabled firefighters to control the fire remotely using high-flow equipment. Meanwhile, safety agencies continued to monitor the ship’s structural conditions and air quality in the surrounding areas.
As the ONE HENRY HUDSON was safely in open water, shelter orders were lifted at 6:30 a.m. on November 22, allowing residents of San Pedro and Wilmington to return to normal. However, active fire suppression continued for several days, until LAFD fireboats were relieved by private fireboats on Nov. 23, allowing rescue and firefighting operations to be conducted more safely.
Source and photo: LAFD