A major fire broke out aboard the bulk carrier Trade in the Western Port Area of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in the afternoon of 15th May. The incident occurred while the vessel was carrying scrap metal.
At around 17:00 local time, the fire brigade was notified about the fire, prompting the deployment of heavy firefighting equipment and issuing four emergency alerts urging residents to close windows, doors, and switch off ventilation systems. A thick black smoke plume was visible over the part of the city.
Although no harmful substances have been detected, authorities have reported widespread smoke, soot particles, and strong odors in the area.
Specialized units from the Rotterdam region joined in the efforts. They used cranes to unload the scrap metal from the vessel’s fire-raging compartment and extinguished it onshore. The remaining scrap in the hold was extinguished by the fire boat and ladder trucks.
According to a fire department spokesperson, the fire’s source lies deep within the ship, making it difficult to reach and allowing flames to reignite as more material is removed. The operation is expected to continue for several more hours. No casualties have been reported so far, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
