A fire ignited around 10:56 a.m. on September 14, 2026, at the Glacier Creek Cruise Ship terminal dock in Whittier, Alaska. The blaze involved the tour boat Klondike Express moored next to the dock and the Norwegian Jade cruise ship, which left the dock during the fire. No passengers were aboard the Klondike Express when the fire started.
Emergency Response Efforts and Firefighting Operations
Multiple firefighting units responded to the fire: the Whittier Fire Department, Anchorage Fire Department, including a battalion chief, fire engine, and two water tankers, and Girdwood Fire and Rescue, with assistance from the Alaska Coast Guard. Due to no working fire hydrants
near the dock, crews transported 112,000 gallons of water using tanker trucks between a hydrant in town and the fire scene. Fire suppression efforts were ongoing past 12:30 p.m., with firefighters awaiting additional tanker water supplies as reported by Whittier Fire Department volunteer Michael Pese.
Damage Assessment and Access Restrictions
The fire compromised approximately 70% of the dock’s timber decking. Michael Pese estimated about half the dock was destroyed. The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was closed for several hours to facilitate emergency vehicle access to Whittier. No injuries were reported, and Whittier City Manager Jackie Wilde confirmed that the Norwegian Jade was not impacted by
the fire.
Official Statements and Eyewitness Accounts
Whittier City Manager Jackie Wilde confirmed there were no injuries. Volunteer firefighter Michael Pese said firefighting teams were working on overhaul efforts and waiting for additional water supplies. Eyewitness Barbara Mackessy, a cruise ship passenger, described flames originating between the dock and the Klondike Express, spreading under the dock, but being contained to one side. Alternative Alaska Adventures’ Tyler Schmitt expressed devastation over the loss of the new terminal ahead of planned events, including one involving the USS Ted Stevens later that month.
Investigation and Background of the Dock Facility
The cause of the fire remains unknown and under investigation. Construction of the Glacier Creek
Cruise Ship terminal dock began in 2022 with a budget of $80 million. Damage assessments continue, with the operational status of the terminal not yet disclosed.
