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Fires in Ships | |
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 FOREWORDEvery year lives are lost and millions of dollars' worth of damage is caused through fires in ships. Human error is by far the most common cause of fires. It is often a single careless act that endangers the lives of all the crew. These brief factual accounts of fires which occured in several types of vessel illustrate some of the risks. Every member of the crew has a part to play in preventing fires. And this applies not only to fire-fighting methods. Take a long, critical look at your ship - is there any place where failure or malfunction could bring disaster? The danger spots are machinery, accommodation and cargo spaces. |
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| Make your ship a safe ship - take precautions to prevet fire | ||
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 DOORWAYS TO
DISASTER |
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| Never fix engine room casing doors in the open position - your life may depend on it. | ||
| A bulk carrier of 1,322 gross tons had just gone on stand-by conditions prior to entering the port of Bayonne at the end of a voyage from Britain. | ||
In the Engine Room, the Chief Engineer had started all the stand-by pumps including a lubricating oil pump (the main engine lubricating oil system under normal service conditions being supplied from main engine-driven pumps) and was in the process of putting a second generator on load, when fire broke out. 
The Master and Officer of the Watch, on the bridge, were
alerted by flames and smoke coming from the engine room
skylights, which were open. They were able to close the
port skylights but not the starboard ones, because of the
heat. The remotely controlled fuel supply valves to the
main engine and generator were then closed, and the Chief
Engineer, having stopped the main engine, began fighting
the fire with portable extinguishers.Flames and smoke had meanwhile passed from the Engine Room into the accommodation through two open doorways in the casing, the doors having been fixed in the open position with wire. The spreading fire trapped the Second Engineer in his cabin. He could not be released until crew members with portable extinguishers were able to make their way along the passageway to close the Engine Room doors. The fire fighting efforts of the crew finally prevailed, but it took about an hour to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire was traced to a disused brass cock on the discharge side of the stand-by lubricating oil pump. This had broken off, allowing oil under pressure to spray onto the main engine exhaust system. Engine Room casing doors should never be fixed in the open position. Remember smoke can be just as lethal as heat and flames. |
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| FUEL HAZARDS |
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| Are your oil beater relief valves in closed circuit? | ||
| A twin-screw bulk carrier of some 19,120 gross tons was proceeding normally on diesel oil fuel. The main engines were designed to use heavy oil, but trouble was being experienced with the electric heavy oil heaters. | ||
| Repairs were carried out and power switched on, but
shortly afterwards the heaters were found to be wrapped
in a light grey mist. Power was immediately shut off, but
while the inlet valve to one heater was being closed, the
relief valve lifted and within seconds the surrounding
saveall burst into flames, giving out dense clouds of
smoke. The main engines were stopped and the heavy oil
settling-tanks isolated. By this time the smoke had
become so dense that the machinery space had to be
evacuated. After a roll call of Engine Room personnel, the CO2 fire extinguishing system was operated and the fire put out. A full five hours elapsed before the Engine Room could be re-entered. The oil fuel heaters and ancillary equipment were all found to be badly damaged but, even worse, there was extensive damage to the banks of electric cables above the heaters. As the supply of diesel oil was limited, repairs to the heavy oil heaters and the replacement of electric cables were essential if the vessel was to make port under her own power. Another day passed before the work was completed and the vessel was able to proceed on her way, albeit on one engine. The cause of the fire was traced to two factors: a malfunction of the viscosity regulation valve on the heater outlet which caused a blockage in the outlet and its consequent overheating; and a relief valve on the heater which relieved to the saveall. Open-ended relief valves from oil heaters are always a potential source of danger and should be in closed circuit. This vessel was lucky to have escaped so lightly - in bad weather the result could have been disastrous. |
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| THE UNPLUGGED
HOLE |
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| Carelessness in the Engine Room could be fatal | ||
| A fishing vessel sailed from Aberdeen one morning en route for the fishing grounds. Normal routine was maintained until the early evening, when the engine suddenly stopped and the Skipper was alerted to smoke pouring out of the Engine Room. | ||
Attempts to enter the space were frustrated at first by the dense smoke. Eventually the Second Engineer, wearing breathing apparatus, managed to get below. He found the Chief Engineer (who had been on watch but was missing when the fire was noticed) in the fore part of the engineroom. His clothing, hair and the upper part of his body were on fire, but the Second Engineer managed to drag him out of the space. The crew then beat out the flames and gave first aid to the badly burned man. The Skipper had meanwhile managed to extinguish the fire. Power was eventually restored and the vessel was able to return to port, where the Chief Engineer was quickly transferred to the intensive-care unit of the local hospital. Subsequent investigation revealed that it was normal practice to pump up the main engine daily service tank each watch until it overflowed thorough a sight glass back to the bunker tank. On this occasion a 3.5 inch BSP sounding/inspection plug had been removed from the top of the tank and not replaced. The result was that when the service tank was full, the oil flowed out of the hole in the top and down the sides into the saveall, instead of dowa the overflow pipe. What happened next is only too predictable: the overflow from the saveall onto the main engine exhaust manifold, the inevitable fire, and the Chief Engineer badly burned in his efforts to control it. Fires in the Engine Room are common, and will continue to be so until Engine Room personnel pay greater attention both to the equipment and to the working environment. This is especially important after an overhaul or period in port. |
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| A LAST
CIGARETTE |
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 See also: 'How
to Quit Smoking' |
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| Careless smoking is the most common cause of fires in ships | ||
| A refrigerated ship of some 9,742 gross tons arrived in Port Nelson, New Zealand, early one morning after a voyage from Japan. That night the crew enjoyed an evening in port, and some of the local girls attended a party held on board. | ||
 Early the following morning fire was discovered in
the accommodation, which quickly became filled with
smoke. The alarm was raised and the ship's crew tackled
the blaze with hoses until the shore fire brigade
arrived. A roll call was held and all on board were
accounted for with the exception of one deckhand. When
the fireman arrived, they searched the accommodation,
wearing breathing apparatus. The missing man was found
unconscious in his cabin. Despite all efforts to revive
him, he was dead on arrival at the hospital.The fire was put out with no further casualties. The source of the fire was traced to an unoccupied cabin used for the storage of dirty linen. On arrival in port, a ship-to-shore telephone had been installed for the use of the crew. The Fire Officer considered that the most probable cause of the fire was the careless disposal of matches and cigarette-ends in the cabin. Never locate a ship-to-shore telephone in a space containing flammable material. If possible, arrange for the telephone to be located in a public place where it can be seen and is easy to get at. Always provide a container for matches and cigarette-ends alongside the telephone. A bucket or drum half-filled with sand is safest. Ashtrays are quickly filled and easily upset. A coasting vessel of some 551 gross tons had completed loading a cargo of china clay at a Southern English port, but bad weather resulted in her sailing being postponed until the following morning. The crew went ashore for the evening. Returning to the ship later, and after a drink in the Master's cabin, all hands turned in. It was not until 07.45 the following morning, when the pilot came on board, that smoke was detected in the accommodation. This was traced to a sailor's cabin. The door was forced, and the cabin found to be full of smoke. The sailor was dead on the floor. Investigation showed that the fire had started in the bunk and there can be no doubt that a lighted cigarette was the cause. The crewman must have fallen asleep while enjoying a last cigarette. |
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|
OUT OF THE
FRYING PAN |
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| Fire extinguishers in the galley must not be of the water type | ||
| A cargo liner of some 8,510 gross tons was alongside at a West African port when the fire broke out, just after lunch. The fire started in the galley and spread into the ventilation extractor trunking. | ||
The heat ignited panelling by way of the trunking in a duty mess, causing serious damage to the mess, saloon, pantry and alley-way. Electric cables in these spaces were also damaged. The fire took over an hour to put out, even with the help of the shore fire brigade. Subsequent investigation revealed that the cause of the fire was a deep-fat fryer which had been left switched on when lunch was over and the galley empty. Deep fat fires can be extremely dangerous. If found at an early stage, cover the fryer with a metal lid or a fire blanket. On no account should such a fire be fought with a water extinguisher. This may cause an explosion, spread the fire and badly burn the fire-fighter. |
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| BURIED DANGER |
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| Number your cargo clusters | ||
| One evening smoke was seen coming from the no.3 hatch vents of a bulk carrier of some 28,467 tons, en route from the USA to Italy. | ||
Loading of yellow corn had been completed at a Mississippi port only the previous day and spontaneous combustion was suspected. The ship was immediately diverted to the nearest port while the hold vents were battened down and the boundaries of the hold were cooled with fire hoses. When the ship arrived in Port, the authorities injected high expansion foam into the space between the surface of the cargo and the deckhead and, some hours later, opened up the hatch to discharge the cargo under further applications of foam. Only then did a deckhand report to the Master that several days previously, while loading was taking place, he had seen a dock worker attempting to extricate from the cargo a light-cluster which had become submerged. Failing to do so, he had unplugged the cluster and left it buried in the cargo. It was not until 200 tons of damaged cargo had been removed that the charred remains of the cluster were found and the deckhands's story verified. Check cargo clusters carefully after loading has been completed; the heat they generate is always a potential danger. Ensure that cargo clusters are kept in a serviceable condition and placed where they do not create a fire hazard (especially when the cargo spaces are unmanned). Attention to detail and prompt reporting of the unusual prevent accidents. |
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| Never use a naked light where there are "No Smoking" signs. Always use the correct lighting equipment. | ||
| A bulk carrier was in the North Sea carrying a cargo of coal duff from the USA to the River Tees. | ||
Although the access hatches to the holds were gas-tight, they were opened at intervals to check the temperature of the cargo. The mast houses above were also clearly marked as "NO SMOKING" areas because of the danger of methane gas lingering after each opening of the access hatch. While preparing gear for their arrival in port, a seaman lit a cigarette lighter to see more clearly under a shelf in the mast house. There was a flash fire and the seaman and his mate were badly burned. Both were taken off the ship by helicopter and rushed to hospital for treatment. Fortunately, there was no ensuing fire. Always follow the `NO SMOKING' signs. Do not assume that you can smell all dangerous gases - they can linger in confined spaces for some time and will build up if not ventilated. |
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CLEAN SWEEP |
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| Keep combustibles away from hot exhausts | ||
| Some two hours out from port with a cargo of petroleum coke, a twin-screw general cargo vessel was forced to return on one engine because fire had broken out in the Engine Room. | ||
The fire apparently occurred because sacking placed over a grating to prevent crew members from slipping had fallen, together with dirt and debris, onto the propulsion and steering unit in the Engine Room below. These had quickly become ignited by the hot exhaust of the unit. The fire was soon brought under control by the shore fire brigade and damage was restricted to the electric cables controlling one of the propulsion and steering units, but the ship was delayed at great expense while repairs were carried out. Without the assistance of the fire brigade, it would have been much more serious. Engine Room fires can spread very quickly. Be safety-conscious- hold regular fire drills and learn where safety equipment is kept and how to use it. Accidents can be avoided by practising good housekeeping. Clear away debris immediately. Gratings and ventilators should be cleaned regularly and oily rags and other flammable materials removed. Clean floors and gratings should not be slippery and crew should wear the right shoes. |
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DANGER IN A
BOTTLE |
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| Never store gas bottles in Engine Rooms or take them into enclosed spaces | ||
| The Engineer aboard a bulk carrier was using oxy-acetylene equipment to carry out minor repairs in the Engine Room workshop when a fire broke out near the oxygen and acetylene bottles. | ||
Subsequent investigation revealed that it had started because of a leaking hose. The alarm was raised and the fire quickly brought under control by the Engine Room party. Although on this occasion the damage was restricted to blistered and blackened paintwork in the workshop area, it could well have been much worse but for the prompt action of the fire party. An Engine Room fire can have serious consequences. Always check that hoses on gas bottles are not leaking and that they are securely connected to the bottles. Keep the working area clean and free of sharp or jagged objects. Avoid twisting hoses or restricting your access - rapid movements can also cause accidents. Leave oxy-acetylene equipment alone unless you have been trained to me it correctly. When wing oxy-acetylene or other welding equipment make sure someone knows whom you are. Have a fire-watcher - an assistant to stand by with a fire extinguisher to watch for sparks, smouldering or outbreaks of fire. He can ensure you are not interrupted and remove discarded tools and equipment. |
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