At 0350 e.d.t., on June 5, 1979, a fire erupted on the Canadian Bulk Carrier CARTIERCLIFFE HALL while it was underway in Lake Superior between Duluth, Minnesota, and Port Cartier, Quebec, Canada, in U.S. waters. The fire destroyed the vessel's accommodation spaces and pilothouse. Six persons were killed and five persons were injured; one person died later as a result of burns received from the fire. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the ignition by an unknown source of combustible materials within the spar deck crew accommodations. The rapid rate at which the fire spread was due to the lack of structural fire protection in the design and the extensive use of combustible materials in the construction of the accommodation spaces. Contributing to the loss of life was the rapid rate at which the fire spread and the lack of an adequate fire detecting system.
Marine Accident Report - Fire on Board the Canadian Bulk Carrier M/V CARTIERCLIFFE HALL, Lake Superior, June 5, 1979
1980
36 pages
Report
No indication
English