Officials battle fire at Whittier’s new cruise ship terminal

Multiple agencies responded Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, to a fire at Whittier's new cruise ship dock.
Multiple agencies responded Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, to a fire at Whittier’s new cruise ship dock. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Officials on Monday are battling a fire at Whittier’s new cruise ship terminal that damaged at least one boat. No injuries have been reported.

Multiple agencies responded to the fire around 11 a.m.

Photos and video posted on social media show the dock and a tour boat, the Klondike Express, on fire. There were no passengers onboard, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The boat was released from the pier and the fire on board extinguished, the agency said.

The Klondike Express on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, after it ignited in Whittier. No one was aboard.
The Klondike Express on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, after it ignited in Whittier. No one was aboard. (U.S. Coast Guard)

A cruise ship, the Norwegian Jade, safely departed the area, the Coast Guard said.

The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel leading in and out of Whittier temporarily closed to better assist emergency responders, said a spokesperson with the Alaska Department of Transportation. It has since reopened.

The agencies responding to the fire include crews from Whittier, Anchorage and Girdwood, plus the U.S. Coast Guard.

It’s not yet clear what started the fire and where it started.

A response team will investigate potential signs of pollution, according to the Coast Guard.

This story has been updated to clarify damage to the Klondike Express.

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