NTSB: Used vehicle battery caused weeklong cargo ship fire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Officials say an electrical fault from an improperly disconnected battery in a used vehicle led to the fire aboard a cargo ship docked in Florida that resulted in $40 million worth of damage. The National Transportation Safety Board released a report of its findings Thursday, along with eight safety recommendations to federal regulators and the companies involved in the June 2020 blaze. According to the NTSB report, nine firefighters were injured while responding to the Höegh Xiamen at the Port of Jacksonville. None of the vessel’s 21 crewmembers was injured. The fire took over a week to extinguish. The Höegh Xiamen and its cargo of 2,420 used vehicles were declared a total loss.