Trident Seafoods has filed a lawsuit against the city of Tacoma, alleging the Tacoma Fire Department mishandled the 2023 fire aboard the fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise, ultimately leading to its total loss. The company claims firefighters failed to follow marine firefighting best practices and ignored recommendations from a specialized response team, allowing the fire to spread beyond initial containment.

According to the lawsuit, the fire was initially under control before responders used positive pressure ventilation—a tactic the company argues is unsafe in shipboard environments due to the risk of reintroducing oxygen and accelerating fire growth. The vessel ultimately burned from stem to stern, with damages estimated to exceed $100 million.

A Coast Guard investigation found the fire likely originated from hot work or electrical failure, and also cited a failure of the vessel’s fire alarm system as a key factor in the incident. The city has not yet commented on the lawsuit, which seeks compensatory and punitive damages.