$16 Million Settlement Reached Over Jacksonville Ship Fire
On September 9th, a settlement exceeding $16 million was reached in a lawsuit stemming from the fire aboard the Hoegh Xiamen. The agreement was reached between 11 Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighters and multiple parties, including the vessel’s owner Hoegh Autoliners, operator Grimaldi Deep Sea, and port service providers Horizon Terminal Services and SSA Marine.
The incident occurred on June 4th, 2020, when a fire ignited on the vehicle carrier Hoegh Xiamen at the Port of Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Over 100 firefighters responded, evacuating all 21 crew members onboard. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the crew.
However, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue noted that an explosion during the fire caused injuries to some firefighters.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed several contributing factors to the fire. One key issue was the crew's failure to follow Grimaldi’s procedures, which required disconnecting the car batteries.
According to the NTSB, a spark from an undetached car battery triggered the explosion that injured the firefighters. The investigation confirmed that the car batteries had not been disconnected as required.
Another concern highlighted in the investigation was the crew's limited ability to communicate with local emergency services. The firefighters' attorney argued that the crew members had little to no English proficiency.
Additionally, the fire detection system had been turned off after the cargo loading operation, which delayed the crew's ability to request timely help.
In August 2020, the Hoegh Xiamen and its cargo of 2,420 vehicles were declared a total loss, valued at $40 million.
Pajcic & Pajcic, the law firm representing the firefighters, reported that the settlement was negotiated with all parties named in the lawsuit. Hoegh Autoliners reached a confidential agreement with the firefighters, and the final settlement was completed before the trial could begin.