About 1340 local time on December 13, 2017, the towing vessel J.W. Herron was shifting barges on Big Bayou Canot near Twelvemile Island, approximately 8 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, when a fire began in the lower engine room and quickly spread. After the crew of three partially secured the engines and fuel supply, heavy smoke and fire prevented them from attempting to extinguish the fire, forcing an immediate evacuation of the vessel to the barges. No pollution or injuries were reported. The estimated damage to the vessel was $1.5 million.

​​The probable cause of the engine room fire aboard the towing vessel J.W. Herron was leaking lube oil from a propulsion diesel engine hose or tubing fitting that was ignited off an exposed hot engine surface or slipping clutch. Contributing to the severity of the fire was the location of the emergency engine shutdowns and fuel supply shutoffs near the exterior engine room doors, which proved to be inaccessible.Contributing to the spread of the fire was the inability to secure ventilation to the engine room.

​​Accessing Remote Engine Room Shutdowns

The location of remote emergency shutdowns to the engine room—quick-closing valves for fuel and lube oil systems, remote stops for ventilation fans, and engine stops—as well as fire pump start controls may not be accessible during a fire. Therefore, the accessibility of these shutdowns and controls should be evaluated during fire-response planning. Alternative remote emergency shutdown locations, such as the wheelhouse, should be considered for redundancy.​