Washington state crews responding to boat fire in Tacoma Tideflats, residents receive smoke warning

Fire crews on Sunday continued to battle a fire that broke out the day prior on the Kodiak Enterprise boat docked at Tacoma, Washington’s Tideflats Port Facility. 

The Tacoma Fire Department, the Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Washington Department of Ecology and other agencies were responding to the fire. 

The Department of Ecology first tweeted about the fire shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday. The department said there was no spill but responders had placed booms around the vessel as a precaution. 

By Sunday afternoon, the fire had progressed throughout the ship and was approximately 100 feet from the vessel’s freon tanks. 

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The Kodiak Enterprise is reported to have some 55,000 gallons of diesel and 19,000 pounds of freon onboard. The heat from the fire can cause pressure to build in the freon tanks. 

Freon can be toxic if inhaled in large quantities or enclosed spaces, but officials say the chemical’s release into the atmosphere is not expected to pose any safety risk to the public. 

The Tacoma Fire Department issued a temporary shelter-in-place order for NE Tacoma, Browns Point and Dash Point neighborhoods. Residents were urged to remain indoors and limit exposure to smoke. 

The Coast Guard closed the Hylebos Waterway for all commercial and recreational vessel traffic. A Coast Guard Cutter was deployed to enforce the closure. 

"The safety of the public and responders is our top priority," Coast Guard Capt. Youngmee Moon said in a statement. "The unified command is working closely to leverage each agency’s capabilities to respond to this incident as effectively as possible and keep the public safe." 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No further details were released. 

Royal family attends first Easter service since Queen Elizabeth’s death

King Charles III and the royal family attended their first Easter service since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last year.

The extended family were seen walking to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Sunday to celebrate the holiday.

The soon to be coronated King Charles was accompanied by Queen Consort Camila, both wearing blue, with Camila sporting a fascinator for the occasion.

Blue seemed to be the fashion order of the day for the Prince and Princess of Wales’ family as well, as Kate, William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis all wore coordinating outfits.

PRINCE GEORGE, PRINCESS CHARLOTTE AND PRINCE LOUIS START NEW SCHOOL YEAR IN MATCHING UNIFORMS FOR ORIENTATION

George, 9, wore suit and tie, looking like mini version of his dad, while younger brother Louis, 4, wore a blazer and light blue shorts. 

Charlotte wore blue floral dress and blue tights, and was often sticking close to Kate, who wore a bright blue coat dress, hat, and nude heels.

This year marks the first time Prince Louis has attended the traditional family Easter outing. George and Charlotte made their first appearance last year.

In another first, this Easter marks Charles first as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a title previously held by Queen Elizabeth II, dating back to Henry VII.

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Other royals in attendance for the procession were King Charles III siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, Princess Beatrice and her husband Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall with her husband and children.

St. Geroge’s Chapel is the traditional church stop for the royal family, and also the place were Queen Elizabeth II is buried, alongside her husband Prince Phillip. It is also the final resting place for her parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother.

King Charles III is set to be crowned on May 6, alongside Camila as Queen consort, at London's Westminster Abbey, with a reported 2,000 guests on the list. Prince George was recently announced as one of the kin's "Pages of Honour" who will form "part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey."

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