Nine FL Firefighters Injured in Cargo Ship Blaze, Explosion

At least nine Florida firefighters were injured Thursday during a blaze and explosion on a car-hauling ship.

Jacksonville crews responded to a report of a fire that broke out on a cargo ship in Blount Island, First Coast News reports. The ship's crew escaped the ship safely, and around 150 firefighters went onboard to battle the flames.

Just before 7 p.m., an explosion erupted on the ship, injuring eight firefighters. They were taken to the hospital in stable condition, and at least one firefighter needed surgery, according to First Coast News.

"Burns take a lot time to heal. … Please everyone, keep them in your prayers. They'll need a lot of that," said Fire Chief Keith Powers.

One firefighter also was taken to the hospital with heat exhaustion.

Crews fought the fire into the night, trying to reduce oxygen to the flames while facing zero visibility onboard. Powers said the blaze generated extremely high heat that could peel paint, First Coast News added.

"It's taken multiple floors and it's a limited, large area. … Very steep, very narrow," he said. "One of the most dangerous situations a firefighter can encounter (is) a ship fire."

Officials believe the fire started on the seventh floor of the Hoegh Xiamen, a Norwegian ship built in 2010. The ship was transporting old and used cars and had been leaving Jacksonville.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, according to First Coast News.