On the night of September 18, 2024, a fire broke out aboard the vessel The Admiral while moored at Basin A in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County Fire Department quickly extinguished the blaze, and no injuries were reported. Following the incident, a Unified Command was established involving the U.S. Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (CDFW-OSPR), and representatives of the vessel’s owner to address a discharge of red-dye diesel fuel.
Although The Admiral had a potential fuel capacity of 6,000 gallons, officials estimate approximately 4,000 gallons were onboard during the fire. The vessel is no longer actively leaking fuel, and crews are assessing it for fuel removal operations. Cleanup efforts are underway with containment booms deployed around the vessel and surrounding areas.
Environmental scientists from CDFW-OSPR are monitoring for impacts, but no sensitive environmental sites have been affected. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) has been activated, and one oiled Rufous hummingbird has been rescued, stabilized, and transferred to the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center of Orange County for continued care.
The investigation into the cause of the fire and the volume of fuel discharged remains ongoing.
Air monitoring is being conducted in the area, and there are currently no reports of any threats to public health. Volunteers are not needed at this time, but updates will be available at https://calspillwatch.wildlife.ca.gov/ if assistance is required in the future. Community members affected by the incident can file claims by visiting www.admiralfire2024.com. If your vessel has been impacted, please refrain from attempting to clean it yourself and use the claims process instead. For media inquiries, contact the USCG Public Information Office at 206-815-6689. Elected officials or agencies can reach out to the CDFW-OSPR Liaison Officer at [email protected]. Information for Tribal Nations will be provided as necessary.
