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What happened?
A vessel was leaving port at around 5-6 knots, when the fire panel indicated fire on one of the diesel generators. Flames and smoke were visible in the engine room.
A second generator started automatically 20 seconds later, and the crew were mustered safely.
A water mist fire extinguisher system was released in the engine room. Two minutes later a firefighting team entered the engine room – flames and smoke were still visible.
The fire was extinguished within six minutes by a combination of the firefighting team and the water mist system.
There were no injuries. The generator that caught fire suffered significant damage.
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Why did it happen?
There was a bearing failure in the engine.
The failure was not related to a lack of maintenance. It is believed there was a potential fault in engine components which were replaced during a recent engine overhaul.
The fire extinguisher system and fire-fighting team prevented escalation of the fire.
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What did they learn?
To ensure that fires don’t escalate, confirm that:
- All workers are drilled in emergency training.
- All workers are familiar with the vessel and the fire shut down mechanisms.
- Vessels have a water mist system – this can be crucial to avoid fire spreading.
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Ask yourself or your crew
How can something like this happen here?
If a fire breaks out on board our vessel:
- What could the potential consequences be?
- What is the correct process for responding?
What fire suppression systems do we have on board? How can they be improved?
What is your role in an emergency?
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What happened?
A vessel was leaving port at around 5-6 knots, when the fire panel indicated fire on one of the diesel generators. Flames and smoke were visible in the engine room.
A second generator started automatically 20 seconds later, and the crew were mustered safely.
A water mist fire extinguisher system was released in the engine room. Two minutes later a firefighting team entered the engine room – flames and smoke were still visible.
The fire was extinguished within six minutes by a combination of the firefighting team and the water mist system.
There were no injuries. The generator that caught fire suffered significant damage.
Why did it happen?
There was a bearing failure in the engine.
The failure was not related to a lack of maintenance. It is believed there was a potential fault in engine components which were replaced during a recent engine overhaul.
The fire extinguisher system and fire-fighting team prevented escalation of the fire.
What did they learn?
To ensure that fires don’t escalate, confirm that:
- All workers are drilled in emergency training.
- All workers are familiar with the vessel and the fire shut down mechanisms.
- Vessels have a water mist system – this can be crucial to avoid fire spreading.
Ask yourself or your crew
How can something like this happen here?
If a fire breaks out on board our vessel:
- What could the potential consequences be?
- What is the correct process for responding?
What fire suppression systems do we have on board? How can they be improved?
What is your role in an emergency?
A vessel was leaving port, when the fire panel indicated fire on one of the diesel generators. A fire had broken out in the engine room. The fire was extinguished within minutes.
