MAIB suggests to check that all exhaust pipes are fully insulated, not close to combustible material
The UK MAIB has issued safety bulletin on the fire and subsequent foundering of workboat ECC TOPAZ on Janaury 2014.
ECC Topaz,caught fire 11nm east of Lowestoft last month. The three crew members on the vessel were unable to extinguish thefire, which spread rapidly throughout its GRP structure, forcing them to abandon to a liferaft.There were no passengers on board at the time of the accident.
Once in the liferaft, the skipper transmitted a “Mayday” call using a hand-held VHF radio and thenactivated a Search and Rescue Transponder (SART).The crew of another vessel in the vicinity alertedthe coastguard when they saw thick black smoke on the horizon.
The crew of ECC Topaz were winchedfrom the liferaft by helicopter and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The fire on ECC Topazcontinued unabated and, at 1422, the burnt out remains of the vessel foundered in 33m of water
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The UK MAIB recommends the following safety lessons Uninsulated exhaust pipes will quickly reach the temperature of the exhaust gases and, when in closeproximity to wood or other combustible material, the likelihood of a fire is very high. Owners andoperators of vessels are strongly advised to:
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More details may be found by reading UK MAIB Safety Bulletin
Image Credit: UK MAIB SB2/2014
About UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)
The role of the MAIB is to contribute to safety at sea by determining the causes and circumstances of marine accidents and working with others to reduce the likelihood of such accidents recurring in the future. Accident investigations are conducted solely in the interest of future safety. Visit official website at www.maib.gov.uk
