Chemical ship ablaze off Kerry coast

A fire has broken out in the engine room of a chemical transport ship off the southwest coast of Ireland.

A fire has broken out in the engine room of a chemical transport ship off the southwest coast of Ireland.

The fire started at around 2:20am on the Maltese registered ship seven and a half miles north of Brandon Head.

The 15-crew members managed to contain the fire but the 95-metre vessel is now believed to be drifting without power.

This morning attempts were being made to restart the engines and two tugboats are on stand-by, awaiting arrangements to bring the vessel ashore.

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Members of the Coast Guard are at the scene and a specialist crew from the Dublin Fire Brigade were also flown to the area as a precaution.

The ship had earlier unloaded a cargo of sulphuric acid at Aughinish Island in Co Limerick.