Mars Report 2013
The Nautical Insitute has issued Mars Report 2013-04 regarding Oil-soaked rag caused fire on deck as follows:
Arriving at a river port after a short coastal passage, a container feeder vessel was transiting upriver under daytime pilotage, when the bridge team suddenly observed thick black smoke rising from forward. The fire alarm was activated and speed was reduced while the emergency team proceeded to the location, with two crewmembers wearing breathing apparatus. The fire was seen to be on a pile of rags and cotton waste and it was quickly extinguished with fire hoses.
Result of investigation
Earlier during the voyage, linseed oil had leaked from a container that had been discharged at the previous port, after which the deck crew had mopped up the oil from the deck. It was intended to land the oilsoaked material at the next port, so the crew had collected and stowed it on deck overnight on a rubber mat abaft the forward wavebreaker. The rags spontaneously heated to above the self-ignition temperature of the vegetable oil. The resulting fire caused substantial burn damage to adjacent electrical fittings and paintwork on the deck, vertical surfaces of the bulkhead and a ventilator cowl.
For more information, click at Mars Report No.4-2013
Source: The Nautical Institute
