U.S. fishing company Trident Seafoods has filed a rare lawsuit against the city of Tacoma, Washington for alleged mishandling of the fire aboard the fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise, which was destroyed in a massive blaze three years ago. A lawsuit against an emergency response agency is virtually unheard-of after a marine casualty, but Trident alleges gross negligence on the part of the Tacoma Fire Department.
In the early hours of April 8, 2023, a fire broke out in a compartment towards the bow of the Kodiak Enterprise while the vessel was alongside at the Port of Tacoma. The point of origin was likely in a dry stores space, according to Trident. The crew evacuated onto shore, and Tacoma Fire Department responded to the scene by about 0330 in the morning.
The fire department took command of the response and began its work. Meanwhile, Trident contracted with salvor Resolve Marine for expert marine firefighting services. Resolve has a base located in Tacoma and a strong presence in the Seattle area, and it mobilized a team to the scene beginning at about 0600 that morning. Tacoma Fire retained formal control, and Resolve’s personnel acted in an advisory capacity…