Knowing escape routes & conducting thorough engineering watches The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) issued a Marine Safety Alert regarding engine room operations.Recently an engine room fire occurred onboard an older cruise ship while it was at berth. A fuel oil spray under pressure developed from an operating engines fuel supply line when a bolted flange parted. The fuel spray ignited when it contacted the engines exhaust piping or turbocharger components. The vessels fine mist extinguishing system automatically activated and performed as designed extinguishing the primary fire. Fuel pumps and shutoff valves were also secured. However, the short-duration fire also ignited cable bundles, quickly filling the machinery space with smoke. As a result, one crewmember and two technicians were unable to egress and perished in the engine room.Although the investigation is not complete and there is more to be learned, the USCG is issuing this safety alert to:reiterate the importance of vessel engineers being cognizant of and taking action on engine manufacturer technical bulletins and service letters,remind personnel working in machinery spaces to have a personal exit plan no matter where they are working, andstress the value of having engineers frequently perform detailed engineering space inspection rounds on engines, systems, and ...
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