Fire Started from Cutting Torch Work

Crew members on a general cargo vessel in port were using an oxy-acetylene torch to remove various sea fasteners, brackets, and cargo securing points from the tween deck pontoons in a cargo hold. Sparks and molten slag from the hot work caused a fire.  Thankfully, nobody appears to have been seriously hurt.  However the fire damage to cargo exceeded $350,000 including damage from the fire directly, from the smoke, and from the water used to extinguish the fire. Damage to the ship exceeded $100,000 and included damage to the cargo hold bulkhead, access ladders and lighting system.

 

Please click here for the details

 

We are grateful to the American Club for providing details.  We acknowledge their commitment to sharing learning to benefit others.  If you have similar operations, please share this information with managers, operatives and any potentially affected third parties as appropriate.  Please also review any of your relevant operations for similar hazardous conditions, risks, and controls.

 

Learning content like this is highly valuable as it is based on real-world experience.  We encourage everyone with publishable information about incidents to send it to us, so that we can raise awareness across the whole industry.  Please contact us at secretariat@ichca.com; sharing your insight could save a life or prevent injury.