Kha Shing Shipyard, where Hargrave Custom Yachts and Monte Fino yachts are constructed, suffered a fire last Thursday. While no one was reportedly injured, the fire broke out aboard a megayacht under construction.
Howard Gung, the president of Kha Shing, says that the fire started around 8 p.m. local time in Taiwan. It was during the second shift of the day and was under control by about 2:30 a.m. Friday Taiwan time. Gung adds that the fire was limited to the yacht where it started, which was in one of two production sheds. “We feel fortunate that our management and employees on duty at the time were able to contain the damage to one vessel with the professional assistance of the Kaohsiung City Fire Department,” he says, in a statement issued by Kha Shing. He also says, “All the yachts that are schedule to appear in fall and winter boat shows around the world are still on track for completion and shipment, and we look forward to putting this unfortunate accident behind us in the weeks to come.”
No details are yet available as to how the fire started, or exactly where aboard the yacht it began. However, as of Friday morning East Coast USA time, investigators had already been to the shipyard. Kha Shing expects their report to be ready in the coming weeks. Furthermore, Gung says that yacht construction and other daily operations were expected to begin again soon. In fact, Kha Shing expected to start construction on a hull to replace the lost yacht, for the very same clients, this coming week. The owners, from the United States, have already owned three custom yachts built by the yard. “They expressed their full support for the yard,” Gung says.
The fire at Kha Shing is reportedly the first one the Taiwanese yard has had in its 40-year history. It has built more than 1,000 yachts in that time.
We are following developments and will update this article accordingly.
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