27 Sep 13 - 16:20
Swedish P&I Club issues Monthly Safety Scenario for October
The Swedish P&I Club publishes on a monthly basis a new "Monthly Safety Scenario" (MSS) to assist owners in their efforts of complying with the above regulations. Under the ISM requirement owners are obliged to carry out monthly safety meetings or safety committee meetings on board their vessels. This obligation stems from Chapter 5 of the ISM Code: "Master's responsibility and authority" and furthermore from "5.1.2, motivating the crew in the observation of that policy". Find below the Monthly Safety Scenario for October.
Fire onboard
It was just after breakfast and the vessel was sailing smoothly in open sea towards the next port in fine weather. Two weeks earlier the engineers had removed a section of the fuel pump pipe, which was in poor condition.
The engineers had not done a thorough inspection of the entire pipe and only carried out a quick ocular inspection, assuming that the rest of the pipe was in good condition. Unfortunately they did not notice the cracks that had developed on the section of the pipe closest to the pump. It was not easy to spot the cracks as they were covered in dirt and oil. Below the cracked fuel pipe there was another fuel pipe, which had damaged insulation, exposing the pipe as there was no protection.
The engineers were having their morning meeting in the engine room, one of the oilers was doing his morning rounds, taking samples and ensuring all was ok. After the meeting the 1st engineer and a motorman proceeded to the engine workshop to start work for the day. The Chief Engineer proceeded to the separator room to inspect the previous day's maintenance.
When the oiler approached the main engine he could see smoke and flames close to the fuel pumps by the main engine. He looked around and found a fire extinguisher, which he grabbed and ran towards the flames. Suddenly there was an explosion with fire spreading fast and was soon out of control.
The fire alarms sounded but the automatic hi-fog system did not start. This was because the hi-fog system was set to manual. According to the vessels SMS the hi-fog system should be set to automatic.The 1st Engineer and the motorman, who were in the engine workshop at the time of the explosion, could not escape without entering the engine room, as there was no separate emergency escape route from the workshop.
The 1st Engineer and the motorman, who were in the engine workshop at the time of the explosion, could not escape without entering the engine room, as there was no separate emergency escape route from the workshop.
They ran into the engine room and had to run pass the fire. A lot of black smoke was spreading throughout the engine room. They could see the Chief Engineer running in the opposite direction to help the oiler who had passed out near the fire. The Chief Engineer shouted that he was right behind them and that they should escape and start the hi-fog system.
The 1st Engineer and motorman ran to the emergency escape in the aft part of the engine room. Both had suffered heat injuries and smoke inhalation but they managed to escape before the smoke caused them to pass out.
While they were climbing the ladder the vessel blacked out. The main and auxiliary engines had stopped and the emergency generator started, but shortly afterwards it also failed as a result of insufficient cooling. This resulted in loss of power to the emergency switchboard with fire water pumps and other electrical equipment becoming inoperative. This was because the fire dampers to the emergency generator room had failed and closed, causing the emergency generator to not get sufficient air and stopped.
At this time the air supply and fuel supply had not been stopped and was the chief engineer's duty to shut off but he was still in the engine room and had not had time to go to the engine control room. All crew mustered at the muster station. The Chief Engineer and oiler were still missing. The master ordered the fire teams to suit up and enter the engine room to locate the missing engineers. He also ordered the fire dampers to be opened for the emergency generator room and get it started.
The master would not release the CO2 until the engineers had been accounted for. He ordered the engine room fire dampers to be closed and the ventilation to be stopped from the remote control station outside the machinery spaces.
Read more in the Swedish P&I Club Monthly Safety Scenario - October 2013 Fire onboard
