A fire broke out on Saturday in containers aboard a cargo ship transporting mining chemicals off the coast of British Columbia, and the Canadian Coast Guard said it is working with the US Coast Guard to examine the situation, which includes potential environmental risks.

Late Saturday, the Canadian Coast Guard stated that sixteen crew members were evacuated from the MV Zim Kingston, while five stayed on board to combat the fire.

It said ten containers were currently on fire and that the fire was spreading but that the ship itself was not on fire.

The agency said it was working with its American counterpart to hunt down 40 containers that had sunk, claiming they posed a significant risk to seafarers.

"Mariners are cautioned to avoid the area. There is now no danger to anyone on the beach, but the situation will be closely monitored."

According to a video obtained by Reuters, the fire could be seen flowing down from the ship's deck into the water.

On Friday, the Zim Kingston reported that it had encountered evil weather west of the Juan de Fuca Strait.

"This is gravely alarming. The ship and containers are approaching Victoria, British Columbia, and a major storm is expected to hit tonight. We're concerned that this may result in yet another environmental disaster "According to David Boudinot, president of the environmental group Surfrider Foundation Canada.

According to Eikon Refinitiv data, the Maltese-flagged Danaos Shipping Co Ltd, based in Cyprus, manages Zim Kingston.