The crew of a shrimp trawler is headed home after a fire Christmas night nearly forced them to abandon ship in the icy waters off Labrador.

The Northern Eagle is now passing through the Strait of Belle Isle enroute to her home port of North Sydney, N.S..

The Maritime Rescue Center in St. John's said the Northern Eagle was about 80 kilometres east of Nain — Newfoundland and Labrador's northernmost town — when a fire broke out in a factory room aboard the trawler.

The 28-man crew was able to contain the blaze, with no injuries reported. However the factory area of the vessel was extensively damaged.