After Fire, Union Calls For New Staten Island Ferries to be Docked Pending Investigation

On December 22, the new Ollis Class Staten Island ferry Sandy Ground suffered an engine room fire at the height of rush hour, requiring the evacuation of 866 passengers and 16 crew members aboard. The ferry was anchored as firefighters … Continue reading

US Navy Punishes Over Two Dozen Officers and Sailors Over Fire on USS Bonhomme Richard

In July 2020 an explosion and fire broke out aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard dockside at the Naval Base San Diego. The fire would burn for four days, injuring 60 firefighters and ultimately resulting in the total loss … Continue reading

Fire on the Dinner/Cruise Ship Spirit of Norfolk, 108 Safely Evacuated Including 89 Kindergarteners

A fire broke out on the dinner cruise ship Spirit of Norfolk on the Elizabeth River in Virginia on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 108, including 89 elementary school students celebrating their kindergarten graduation. Fortunately, all passengers were accounted for … Continue reading

Car Carrier Felicity Ace on Fire and Adrift in the Atlantic

The car carrier Felicity Ace caught fire yesterday in the Atlantic Ocean, 90 miles southwest of the Azores. The Portuguese Navy and four merchant ships in the area responded to the car carrier’s distress call. The crew of 22 were … Continue reading

USS Bonhomme Richard’s Destruction by Fire ‘Completely Preventable,’ Navy Finds

Following an investigation of the fire that destroyed the US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard, Admiral Bill Lescher, the Navy’s No. 2 officer said, “The loss of this ship was completely preventable.” USNI News reported that a cascade … Continue reading

Fire Rages on Amphibious Assault Ship USS Bonhomme Richard, Close to 60 Injured

On Sunday at around 8 AM Pacific Time, an explosion and fire were reported aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard dockside at the Naval Base San Diego. More than 24 hours later, the fire is still raging. Fifty-seven … Continue reading

LA Times: Coast Guard Rejected Calls for Stricter Safety Rules Prior to Deadly Dive Boat Fire

The dive boat Conception was a death trap.  It was a wooden vessel with a single narrow and steep stairway from the lower berthing deck and a small emergency exit hatch. When a fire broke out on September 2, 34 … Continue reading

Dive Boat Disaster — 34 Feared Dead in Catastrophic Fire Off Santa Cruz Island

A horrific fire broke on the commercial scuba diving vessel, Conception, off Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands of California, early on Monday morning. Thirty-four people are believed to have died in the fire. Five of six crew members … Continue reading

Bad Week for Containerships, Part 2 — Yantian Express on Fire, Crew Evacuated

On Thursday, a fire broke out in one cargo container on the Yantian Express, a 7,510 TEU container ship, about 1,500 kilometers southeast of Halifax. The fire spread to adjacent containers. The firefighting tug, Smit Nicobar, arrived Friday evening but weather conditions limited what the tug’s crew could … Continue reading

Car Carrier ‘Sincerity Ace’ on Fire — 16 Rescued, 1 Missing, 4 Feared Dead

Around 1,800 nautical miles northwest of Oahu, the car carrier Sincerity Ace is adrift and on fire. Sixteen of her Philippine crew have been rescued, while four are feared dead and one remains missing. The fire broke on on Monday on the Panamanian … Continue reading

Italian Ro/Ro Ferry Norman Atlantic On Fire in High Winds & Seas in Adriatic

A fire broke out early Sunday on the Italian ro/ro ferry, Norman Atlantic, on route between the Greek port of Patras to Ancona, Italy with 478 passengers and crew aboard. The fire is believed to have broken out on the ro/ro deck. The ship is … Continue reading