Two lifeboats on board the USNS Charles L. Gilliland were engulfed in flames. Both were fully involved in the fire. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

The Baltimore City Fire Department has reported that the blaze was reported shortly after 11 a.m. on July 13 aboard the ship near the 2000 block of S. Clinton Street. In the hours following the incident, the BCFD announced on X and Facebook that there were no reported injuries and that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

Two lifeboats on fire aboard the USNS Charles L. Gilliland. 

Shortly after 11:00, the Baltimore City Fire Department received reports of a fire near the 2000 block of S. Clinton Street. On arrival, the units discovered two lifeboats engulfed in flames on board the USNS Charles L. Gilliland. 'Fully involved with fire,' the BCFD said in a statement. "We called a second alarm for additional resources, if needed. There were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. At this stage of the investigation, no further information is available.

Investment in firefighter and command officer training

The BCFD has confirmed that it is continuing to invest in training for firefighters and command officers “for incidents occurring in maritime environments”. Ensuring the safety of firefighters and protecting the Port of Baltimore is, the department believes, best achieved by making this investment. Baltimore City fire crews extinguished a blaze. This was on a former U.S. Navy ship. It was called the MV Charles L. Gilliland. It was in the Canton Industrial Area. This happened on Monday.

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Shipbuilding history

The 954-foot vessel was constructed in 1972 as a commercial container ship, but was acquired by the Navy in 1996. It was named the USNS Gilliland after Corporal Gilliland, the youngest person to receive the Medal of Honor in the Korean War. In 2023, the Gilliland was removed from the Naval Register and transferred to the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve Force, where it transports Army and Marine Corps equipment during rapid deployments worldwide.

The ship was assigned to Baltimore in 2024. The Baltimore Harbor is one of several ports that military planners have selected to minimise sailing time to strategic locations. The U.S. Maritime Administration did not respond to a request for comment. No one was injured, according to Yancey. 

ِAgencies

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