The mayor of Federal Way, Jim Ferrell, has advised residents living in the Twin Lakes and Green Gables neighborhoods to take additional precautions to protect themselves from the smoky conditions caused by the ongoing fire on the Kodiak Enterprise fishing vessel in Tacoma, Washington. He suggested that they keep their doors closed and shut outside air vents to prevent the entry of smoke into their homes. Additionally, he advised them to avoid any strenuous outdoor activities or exercises.
Meanwhile, multiple agencies, including the Tacoma Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, EPA, and the Washington Department of Ecology, are working together to respond to the incident. The fishing vessel caught fire on Saturday while docked in the Hylebos Waterway of Tacoma, and the fire has since spread, with the boat’s freon tanks now about 100 feet away from the flames.
Freon is known to be toxic if inhaled in large quantities or a confined space, but the release of freon into the atmosphere does not pose any immediate risks to public health and safety. Therefore, the authorities have issued a temporary shelter-in-place order for residents living in the northeast Tacoma, Browns Point, and Dash Point neighborhoods, urging them to stay indoors and limit their exposure to smoke.
The fire’s cause is under investigation, and the responding agencies are closely monitoring the situation.
