THE Steam Packet Company has issued a statement following the fire which broke out in the galley of the Ben my Chree yesterday afternoon, once again praising the ship’s crew for their fast reactions.
The statement said: “At 1516 yesterday (Sunday) the Ben-my-Chree reported a fire in the galley of the vessel. The initial report of a fire and build-up of smoke necessitated immediate action by the Master and bridge team, who initiated a general emergency alarm for the safety of passengers and crew while the extent of the fire was assessed.
When the incident occurred, Liverpool Coastguard was informed and the vessel’s speed was reduced. The speed reduction was necessary to reduce the flow of air generated by the movement of the vessel, as this may have caused a spread of fire or smoke.
Chief Executive Mark Woodward explained: ‘Although it was a relatively small fire, we treat any such incident seriously and have well-drilled procedures in place. The staff involved reacted immediately and I’d like to thank them for their efforts.
‘The emphasis in crew training in fire-fighting situations is to assume a worst case scenario in a situation like this, then possibly down grade later. This is important since it may save vital time if the situation is to deteriorate later.
‘The activation of a general emergency alarm necessitates the muster of crew and passengers to assembly stations, where the crew can control passengers whilst events unfold. During this time, the Master updated passengers about the situation and gave a further update once the working party gave him a report of the on-scene situation.
‘The initial report to the Master wasn’t clear as to whether the fire had occurred because of the fryer or the griddle. It became clear later that it had been the griddle. The fire occurred suddenly, but was dealt with using CO2 fire extinguishers and fire blankets by the working fire party. They managed to extinguish it quickly after shutting down and isolating the galley area from the vessel’s power supply.
‘The working party was asked to remain on standby near the galley for the remainder of the trip, carrying out checks to confirm that all was safe. Further updates were given to the passengers, confirming that all was safe and thanking them for their cooperation.’
All relevant maritime authorities were informed of the incident and Liverpool Coastguard was asked to stand down after the fire was extinguished.
The Ben-my-Chree arrived in Douglas on schedule, where the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service carried out on-board checks, praising the crew's effective action which helped minimise damage.
The vessel later departed Douglas on schedule for its evening sailing to Heysham.
