A fire broke out aboard the USNS Charles L. Gilliland on Monday, prompting a second-alarm response from firefighters.
The blaze was reported shortly after 11 a.m. on July 13 aboard the ship near the 2000 block of S. Clinton Street, according to the Baltimore City Fire Department.
There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the BCFD said in a social media post on X and Facebook in the hours following the incident.
“Shortly after 1100 hours, the Baltimore City Fire Department received reports of a fire near the 2000 block of S. Clinton Street. Upon arrival, units found two lifeboats on fire aboard the USNS Charles L. Gilliland. fully involved with fire,” the BCFD said in a statement. “A second alarm was called for additional resources if needed. There were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.”
No other information is available at this point in the investigation.
The BCFD said it’s continuing to invest in firefighter and command officer training “for incidents occurring in maritime environments.” The department believes the investment is critical to ensure the safety of firefighters and protecting the Port of Baltimore.
Shortly after 1100 hours, BCFD responded to a 2nd-alarm fire aboard the USNS Charles L. Gilliland near the 2000 block of S. Clinton Street. Two lifeboats were fully involved. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation. Box 41-53. pic.twitter.com/GTvzF124E5
— Baltimore Fire (@BaltimoreFire) July 13, 2026

