On September 6, fire broke out just after midnight on the petroleum tanker ship known as the Aframax River.
Fire boats were called to the docks of the Intercontinental Terminals Company on the Houston Ship Channel, just north of Texas Route 225 and east of the Beltway.
The U.S. Coast Guard says somehow the ship hit a submerged sewer line. This caused a rupture in the hull, leading to a leak. That same fuel ignited at some point.
Firefighters were able to get the fire mostly under control less than an hour later. There were no injuries. All 25 seafarers were evacuated to safety.
A portion of the Houston Ship Channel may be shut down as a precaution to keep other ships from tracking the fuel throughout the channel.
The Coast Guard says it is still trying to determine how much fuel has been spilled out.
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Source: ABC 13, KHOU
