A fire broke out aboard the US's only heavy icebreaker in one of the most remote places on earth

During its return from an annual supply run to the McMurdo research station in Antarctica, the US Coast Guard's only heavy icebreaker, the Polar Star, had a fire break out inside its incinerator room as it sailed about 650 miles north of McMurdo Sound.

The incident occurred on February 10, after the icebreaker had left Antarctica, where it had cut a channel though nearly 17 miles of ice that was 6 to 10 feet thick to allow a container ship to offload 10 million pounds of supplies that will sustain US research stations and field camps in Antarctica.

According to a Coast Guard release, four fire extinguishers failed during the initial response, and it ultimately took two hours for the ship's fire crews to put out the blaze. While damage from the flames was contained inside the incinerator housing, water used to cool nearby exhaust pipes damaged electrical systems and insulation in the room.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

"It's always a serious matter whenever a shipboard fire breaks out at sea, and it's even more concerning when that ship is in one of the most remote places on Earth," Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, commander of the US Coast Guard’s Pacific Area, said in a release. "The crew of the Polar Star did an outstanding job — their expert response and determination ensured the safety of everyone aboard."

Point Nemo, the most remote spot on earth, is also in the South Pacific — 1,670 miles from the nearest land, which is Ducie Island, part of the Pitcairn Islands, to the north; Motu Nui, one of the Easter Islands, to the northeast; and Maher Island, part of Antarctica, to the south.

The Polar Star was commissioned in 1976 and overhauled in 2012, but it is operating well beyond its 30-year service life. Many of the ship's parts are no longer in production, and crew members have stripped parts from its sister ship and ordered them from eBay to keep the Polar Star running.