What Happened
What Happened
On August 11, 2024, about 2056 local time, while the fishing vessel Three Girls was engaged in fishing operations in the Gulf of Maine about 118 miles east southeast of Portland, Maine, a fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room. The five crewmembers and a National Marine Fisheries Service observer abandoned the burning vessel into a liferaft and were rescued by a US Coast Guard cutter crew that same evening. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $1.3 million.
What We Found
What We Found
We determined that the probable cause of the fire aboard the fishing vessel Three Girls was likely the failure of a component on the hydraulic system (located in the engine room) for on-deck fishing equipment, resulting in pressurized hydraulic oil spraying onto a running engine’s exhaust system and igniting.
What We Recommended
Securing Engines and Ventilation During Engine Room Fires
After an engine room fire ignites, it is imperative to remove the sources of available fuel and ventilation to the fire to prevent it from spreading. Vessel designers, builders, owners, and operators are encouraged to install, regularly test, and have emergency drills that incorporate remote shut offs for all machinery within these spaces to ensure the machinery can be remotely stopped from outside the space where it is situated. Additionally, to prevent the reintroduction of oxygen to the space, vessel designers and owners should ensure that the ventilation, both natural and forced draft, can be completely and remotely secured to all engine rooms.
