A cargo ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars caught fire in the North Sea, close to a renowned bird habitat off the coast of the Netherlands. The Fremantle Highway was en route from the German port of Bremerhaven to Singapore when the fire broke out, sparking concerns of a potential environmental disaster.

Tragically, one crew member lost their life, while others sustained injuries. The entire crew, consisting of 21 Indian nationals, was safely evacuated from the ship. Firefighters and salvage crews have been anxiously waiting for the flames to subside before attempting to board the vessel.

However, as of Thursday, the fire continued to rage, leaving the ship engulfed in smoke. The ship's proximity to both a chain of islands and the Wadden Sea, a World Heritage-listed site known for its migratory birds, has raised alarm among environmentalists.

German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke expressed her concern over the possibility of the ship sinking and polluting the sensitive ecosystem of the North Sea. She emphasized the need to prevent this catastrophe with all available resources. While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the ship was reported to be carrying 2,857 cars, including 25 electric vehicles.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has previously highlighted the potential dangers of electric vehicle battery fires due to thermal runaway, a chemical reaction that causes uncontrolled increases in battery temperature and pressure.

Efforts have been made to combat the fire and contain potential oil spills. A ship equipped with special booms has been deployed to the area as a precautionary measure. The Dutch coast guard has also been using the tide to turn the ship and allow it to drift eastward with the support of a tugboat.

This maneuver aims to keep the ship floating between shipping lanes and maintain a safe distance of approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the Dutch coast. It is worth noting that similar incidents involving car-carrying cargo ships have occurred in the past. Recently, it took firefighters nearly a week to extinguish a blaze on a car transport ship in Newark, New Jersey, which resulted in the loss of two firefighters' lives.

In March 2022, a cargo vessel carrying cars sank in the mid-Atlantic after a fire broke out, raising concerns about the safety of transporting vehicles via sea routes. As the situation continues to unfold, authorities and rescue teams are working tirelessly to extinguish the fire and prevent further harm to the environment and wildlife.