Reefer Ship Carrying Bananas Reports Engine Room Fire At The Port Of Wilmington In Delaware

Emergency teams responded to an engine room fire on the Dole Colombia, a Bahamas-flagged reefer ship at Delaware’s Port of Wilmington on August 10, 2026.

The vessel, which is over 600 ft long, was carrying bananas and suffered from a fire which is said to have started in a generator within the machinery space.

The Fire Department at Wilmington got a call about the fire at a reefer at the port’s Berth 5. When the firefighters came to the scene, they were met by the vessel’s captain as conditions prompted a second alarm for additional personnel.

Then they activated the ship’s onboard carbon dioxide fire suppression system, and the engine room was sealed to contain the fire and prevent its spread.

All crew members were safely evacuated, though one firefighter had to be taken to a medical facility after he inhaled a lot of smoke and almost collapsed.

Personnel from the Wilmington Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the ship’s crew spent the entire day monitoring engine room temperatures and atmospheric conditions.

Dole Colombia is a containerised reefer vessel constructed in 1999 especially to transport fruits, especially bananas. It can self-unload and has a clean PSC inspection record.

The ship also suffered from a fire in 2021 when she was about to leave the berth; however had to return to extinguish it.

An engine room fire can turn dangerous quickly as the space has generators, fuel systems, lubricants, electrical equipment, exhaust components, pumps, pipes and machinery that can even stoke a fire or make it difficult to access safely.

Smoke and heat can spread through the vessel, and crew members have to act quickly to isolate the area and prevent the fire from spreading while making sure everyone is safe.