A fatal engine room fire aboard a cargo vessel, which claimed two lives and resulted in $12 million in total losses, was caused by the installation of an incorrect valve during routine maintenance, according to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report.
The Incident
On January 8, 2024, at about 0331 local time, a fire broke out in the engine room aboard the cargo vessel during bunkering operations while it was docked at the Barbours Cut Marine Terminal in LaPorte, Texas. Crewmembers shut down all ventilation to the engine room, and the fire self-extinguished. Shoreside firefighters and the ship’s emergency teams removed three crewmembers from the engine control room who were unable to escape the fire; two died on the scene, and one was seriously injured. No pollution was reported. The vessel was declared a constructive total loss, valued at $12 million.
Probable Cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the fire on board the cargo vessel Stride was diesel oil cascading onto operating machinery in the engine room during bunkering due to an incorrect valve type installed into a diesel oil tank fill line, which prevented diesel oil from filling the tank and directed it up the common vent line, where it flowed from a cut out section of the vent pipe down into the engine room. Contributing to the overfilling of the bunkering line was engine crewmembers not monitoring the levels of the tanks being filled aboard the vessel, as required by the bunkering procedure in the operating company’s safety management system.
Lessons Learned
Consulting Vessel Drawings when Ordering Replacement Components
Vessel drawings contain piping symbols for equipment such as valve types, sizes, and functions. Owners, operators, and crews should carefully note all components of a vessel’s drawings and diagrams to ensure that proper spare or replacement parts are ordered to maintain functionality.
Ensuring Adequate Personnel for Bunkering Operations
During bunkering operations, vessel owners, operators, and crews should ensure adequate personnel are available to take frequent soundings, establish fuel tank filling rates, and communicate to the person in charge, so tanks are monitored and do not overflow.
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Source: NTSB
