Boat fire Solent

[RogerRat]

Well I've just spoken to Paul again this evening. His hair is burnt down one side and one side of his face a big blister. As you can imagine, he's still pretty shaken.

I mentioned the level of concern from all on the forum and he was more concerned about letting everyone realise just how quickly this can happen...

Firstly, you should know that he is far more experienced then most where diesel engines are concerned as he works with them daily. He recognised that the sounds were strange and noticed blue smoke coming from the port exhaust almost immediately at planing speed.

In this case, the life raft was a new one that he had kept from his old boat and was on the swim platform, not even in a bracket. He wants you all to know that this is not about a make of boat. As he put it, "Any plastic boat" can burn up. In this case a Meridian but it could have been a FairPrinSeeker. Still, from the time smoke was noticed to abandoning ship in a mass of flames was no more than four minutes!

You have to ask yourself could you launch your liferaft in four minutes. Also the point about, 'stepping up into your liferaft.' In this case had it been mounted on the flybridge where he was intending to place it, he said he would never have launched it in time, as it was he had to choose between a dive into the raft or the sea as his coat was melting.

As they had only just left and weren't out in open water properly, their lifejackets were left in the saloon as so many of us do. Paul then made another point from this experience and I think I will follow. He said, "No one's ever going out with me again unless they're wearing one before we untie."

An experience like this really makes you think and had the weather been nice, later in the year, he may even have had children on board. The mind boggles.

Today was interesting, in as much as the whole industry is aware and other manufacturers are equally concerned. The principal of the supplying dealer had never experienced anything like this in over twenty years. I also believe a tech team is coming over from Cummins too. The boat will be lifted and investigated and Paul thought he had a good idea of what may have caused the event but let's see if he was right later when the findings are official.

 

[late-night-lochin]

This is bl00dy frightening Roger

It makes me realise just how lightly I got away with my engine fire last year.

Cheers

 

[activesail]

Close call..

It certainly sounds like a very close call, it makes one wonder whether the engine compartment should be able to contain a fire for a minimum period.

 

[mjf]

Amazing story.

A few years ago I was on a big Targa in Cowes and we used a catering type bow torch thing to light cigars - as you do. Some plonker left it on when they had lit-up and put it on a locker top. I spotted what had happened and swiftly removed the torch and smothered the fire. What shocked all of us was how fast the F/G caught alight in just seconds there were big flames etc. damage was light and easily repaired in this case.

But in an engine room with HP fuel sprayed about...........

 

[U4]

What a horrid experience, I am so glad that they are both ok...

-----------------------
"No one's ever going out with me again unless they're wearing one before we untie."
-----------------------

That is such a valid comment and one rule that I will stick by!

 

[peterandjeanette]

Totally agree about lifejackets.
But - one has to wonder, in this case, what the outcome would have been if a lifejacket was being worn. If the coat was "in flames" no doubt the lifejacket would also be burnt. Would the gas cylinder have exploded? The mind boggles at the thought.
Still won't stop me donning the jacket before departure.
Just very pleased to hear that the crew survived what could have been a total disaster

 

[Alistairr]

Well I've just spoken to Paul again this evening. His hair is burnt down one side and one side of his face a big blister. As you can imagine, he's still pretty shaken.

I mentioned the level of concern from all on the forum and he was more concerned about letting everyone realise just how quickly this can happen...

Firstly, you should know that he is far more experienced then most where diesel engines are concerned as he works with them daily. He recognised that the sounds were strange and noticed blue smoke coming from the port exhaust almost immediately at planing speed.

In this case, the life raft was a new one that he had kept from his old boat and was on the swim platform, not even in a bracket. He wants you all to know that this is not about a make of boat. As he put it, "Any plastic boat" can burn up. In this case a Meridian but it could have been a FairPrinSeeker. Still, from the time smoke was noticed to abandoning ship in a mass of flames was no more than four minutes!

You have to ask yourself could you launch your liferaft in four minutes. Also the point about, 'stepping up into your liferaft.' In this case had it been mounted on the flybridge where he was intending to place it, he said he would never have launched it in time, as it was he had to choose between a dive into the raft or the sea as his coat was melting.

As they had only just left and weren't out in open water properly, their lifejackets were left in the saloon as so many of us do. Paul then made another point from this experience and I think I will follow. He said, "No one's ever going out with me again unless they're wearing one before we untie."

An experience like this really makes you think and had the weather been nice, later in the year, he may even have had children on board. The mind boggles.

Today was interesting, in as much as the whole industry is aware and other manufacturers are equally concerned. The principal of the supplying dealer had never experienced anything like this in over twenty years. I also believe a tech team is coming over from Cummins too. The boat will be lifted and investigated and Paul thought he had a good idea of what may have caused the event but let's see if he was right later when the findings are official.

Thanks for the report Roger.

Very scary stuff, thank goodness there was no-one in the cabins or saloon.

Please give your friends my very best wishes for a speed recovery.

Cheers.

Alistair.

 

[Ripster]

Echo all the other sentiments - glad everyone involved escaped OK.

Very scary experience. Seeing something like this perhaps makes us all consider how well our own safety plans would cope with such an event.

Be very interested to see the final disaster investigation report to know what caused it and why it happened so catastrophically - did the FE's go off or not etc... design of boat/engine bay.

 

[DAKA]

I am absolutely appalled how quickly this fire spread from the engine compartment. I would have thought that there should be some element of fire resistant separation between the engine compartment and the rest of the vessel.

raises questions about the boats design. I do not know off hand the requirements of boat design and fire safety

There has been a Boat safety scheme covering boats that berth inland for over 10 years.

There are a lot of regulations regarding fire suppression including
No glass bowls for fuel
Pipes to BS standard
Most pipes to be copper and not flexible, in particular this affects webasto and eberspacher heating systems.
Gas insulations to include extra safety features and test points.
Electrics to satisfy certain safety requirements.
Fire Extinguishers to be of a certain type and adequate.

Each boat is inspected by a trained surveyor to check compliance.

The compulsory scheme (inland use only) is based on the US coast guard requirements for all US boats .

In the UK there is no such scheme for pleasure boats in coastal locations.

When I spoke to Fairline to request advice about getting my Fairline through the safety scheme they laughed at me, their boats are for offshore use not rivers.

Many items were being fitted to Brand new boats that were regarded as unsafe for Inland use.

Eberspacher and Webasto heating systems were being fitted with plastic fuel pipes running close to electrics, engines , turbos and exhausts.
These have been considered too dangerous for inland use for over 10 years.
Eberspacher knew about the problems for over 10 years and have a special kit available for inland use, does anyone know if the plastic pipes are still fitted to new boats ?


This incident has sort of destroyed the myth that a diesel boat cant ignite like Petrol and needs a naked flame, I cant think where a naked flame would come from a warm diesel engine.
Without getting bogged down with this particular incident can anyone think of anything that would cause a diesel engine to burst into flames or is the danger from the domestic Heating/gas installation , domestic battery bank ?

 

[longjohnsilver]

This incident has sort of destroyed the myth that a diesel boat cant explode like Petrol and needs a naked flame, I cant think where a naked flame would come from a warm diesel engine.
Without getting bogged down with this particular incident can anyone think of anything that would cause a diesel engine to burst into flames or is the danger from the domestic Heating/gas installation , domestic battery bank ?

To answer your question only (ie no speculation on cause of the fire on the boat that sank) one possible source would be an exhaust pipe with no water cooling. Another could be diesel spraying on a badly lagged turbo, or maybe battery/electrical problems. Or maybe even a faulty bilge pump. Lots of potential sources of fire in the engine compartment.

BTW are there any reports that the boat exploded? From what I've read it wasn't so much as an explosion but a very rapid fire which caused the boat to sink.

 

[DAKA]

From what I've read it wasn't so much as an explosion but a very rapid fire which caused the boat to sink.

you are right to point my assumption out and I have reworded it.

 

[mjf]

To answer your question only (ie no speculation on cause of the fire on the boat that sank) one possible source would be an exhaust pipe with no water cooling. Another could be diesel spraying on a badly lagged turbo, or maybe battery/electrical problems. Or maybe even a faulty bilge pump. Lots of potential sources of fire in the engine compartment.

BTW are there any reports that the boat exploded? From what I've read it wasn't so much as an explosion but a very rapid fire which caused the boat to sink.

Yep - I'm with the diesel mist under high pressure contacting hot turbo.

I hope we do get to hear the result of any enquiry.

Have to say I still cannot believe how fast this occured - all the soundproofing that is attached in the ER space is fireproof etc etc.

 

[RogerRat]

Yep - I'm with the diesel mist under high pressure contacting hot turbo.

I hope we do get to hear the result of any enquiry.

Have to say I still cannot believe how fast this occured - all the soundproofing that is attached in the ER space is fireproof etc etc.

No one knows for sure yet and any of these will be speculation. As water was mentioned the other night and above, I can confirm that water was circulating throughout the event so it wasn't that.

Probably best to say no more until there are official findings and a confirmed report.

 

[aviator]

Terrible story. Will not tell her indoors......................

I'd never heard of Meridian before this but they seem to be another Brunswick boat with a decent background.

 

[oceanfroggie]

This happend to my pals a few years ago, but thank God they were unharmed. It took only 2 mins to get hold.

 

[Firefly625]

This happend to my pals a few years ago, but thank God they were unharmed. It took only 2 mins to get hold.

Oceanfroggie, thank you for this message, I have clicked through and read your very full report on your first hand experience and found it very informative and a bit shocking, the speed of fire on a grp boat is just incredible. It has got me thinking of what I would do in the same situation and the obvious benefits of cruising in company. Thanks again

James

 

[oceanfroggie]

Oceanfroggie, thank you for this message, I have clicked through and read your very full report on your first hand experience and found it very informative and a bit shocking, the speed of fire on a grp boat is just incredible. It has got me thinking of what I would do in the same situation and the obvious benefits of cruising in company. Thanks again

James

Hi James, that's what everybody concerned felt, should it ever happen again hopefully folks might be aware of the need for speed in terms of ease of access to pfd's and life raft. Luckily there was no petrol on board. The owner now has one of the boats gas cylinders in his garden with the melted brass valve head still afixed. It floated up to the surface after she sank along with one of the diesel tanks still full of unburnt fuel which was retrieved by the rnli.