This report discusses the fire that destroyed the small passenger vessel Island Lady on January 14, 2018, at the mouth of the Pithlachascotee River near Port Richey, Florida. The vessel, with 53 people on board, was on a scheduled transit to an offshore casino boat, the Tropical Breeze I, located about 9 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Shortly before 1600, the Island Lady captain received a high-temperature alarm for the port engine’s jacket-water system. He notified the vessel’s operating company, Tropical Breeze Casino Cruz, and turned the Island Lady around to return to the dock. During the return trip, smoke began filling the lazarette, main deck spaces, and engine room. The captain deliberately beached the vessel close to shore in shallow water. All passengers, crewmembers, and company employees evacuated the vessel by entering the water and wading/crawling ashore. The Port Richey Police Department, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Port Richey Fire Department, and US Coast Guard responded to the fire. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tarpon Springs Police Department, Dunedin Police Department, and Pinellas County emergency services also provided aid. Fifteen people were injured and transported to local hospitals; one of them, a female passenger, died in the hospital hours after the fire. Drug and alcohol testing was conducted on the crewmembers; all results were negative. No pollution was reported. Damage was estimated to be less than $500,000; therefore, a major marine casualty was not declared. The NTSB investigated the accident under Title 49 United States Code 1131 (a)(1)(f)(ii) as an accident of recurring character because of a similar fire on board another of the operating company’s vessels, the Express Shuttle II, in 2004. From its investigation of this accident, the NTSB identified safety issues in the following areas: Lack of company guidance regarding engine high-temperature alarms; Lack of fire detection in unmanned spaces with exhaust tubing; Insufficient preventive maintenance; Insufficient crew training and documentation; and Inappropriate material and design of fuel tank level-indicator system. On the basis of its findings, the NTSB makes safety recommendations to Tropical Breeze Casino Cruz, LLC and the US Coast Guard.


    Zugriff

    Zugriff über TIB

    Verfügbarkeit in meiner Bibliothek prüfen


    Exportieren, teilen und zitieren



    Titel :

    Fire on Board US Small Passenger Vessel Island Lady, Pithlachascotee River Near Port Florida, January 14, 2018, NTSB/MAR-18/02


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    2018


    Format / Umfang :

    62 pages


    Medientyp :

    Report


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch