US: $80 Million Alaska Cruise Dock Erupts In Fire As Crews Find No Working Hydrants.

Whittier, United States - September 14, 2026 Whittier, Alaska – Fire crews battling a blaze at the new $80 million cruise ship dock in Whittier had to create an improvised water shuttle after finding no working hydrants in the area. The fire was reported around 11 a.m. Monday and extinguished around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. No injuries were reported, but emergency response access led to an hourslong closure of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. The blaze caused “significant damage” to the Klondike Express, a 137-foot high-speed catamaran operated by Phillips Cruises & Tours. The vessel was moored at the dock, unoccupied and without power when the fire began. “It started on the dock and it spread to the Klondike,” Casey Neumann, a managing partner with Phillips, said. The company towed the vessel away and plans to repair it for next season. Video filmed by Barbara Clark Mackessy shows the fire response at the dock. Anchorage and Girdwood firefighters used water tenders and other equipment to establish a water shuttle. The tenders made repeated 10-minute trips between the fire and a working hydrant in Whittier to maintain the water supply. Girdwood Fire Chief Michelle Weston estimated that 161,000 gallons of water were moved. The Norwegian Jade appeared to fight the fire with onboard equipment before departing, although the cruise ship was not involved in the fire. A U.S. Coast Guard investigation team arrived Tuesday to assess the damage and evaluate the need for pollution response. Damage to pier fenders caused a small sheen that later dissipated. The dock opened in September 2025 and was built by Huna Totem Corp. in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The USS Ted Stevens commissioning scheduled for Oct. 3 will proceed at the Princess Cruises terminal instead.