Whittier cruise terminal fire forces tunnel closure as crews battle blaze

Emergency crews battled a fire at the new cruise dock in Whittier, Alaska, on Monday, with a tour company vessel reportedly involved in the blaze.

Girdwood Fire and Rescue said crews were sent to assist Whittier, where Phillips Cruises & Tours vessel Klondike Express was located at the commercial ship dock.

The Whittier Fire Department was joined by personnel from the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, Anchorage Fire Department and Lifemed.

Anchorage Fire Department spokesperson Megan Peters said no injuries had been reported. The fire was called in shortly before 11:00 AM on Monday.

Alaska transportation officials said the “vessel fire at the new terminal” led to the temporary closure of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel following “an emergency assistance request.”

The tunnel provides the main road connection between Whittier, on Prince William Sound, and the route towards the Seward Highway.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.