The purpose of Casualty Information is to provide the marine industry with 'lessons to be learned' from incidents of ship damage and more serious accidents. In this way DNV hopes to contribute to the prevention of similar occurrences in the future. The information included is not necessarily restricted to cover ships classed with DNV and is presented, without obligation, for information purposes only. Queries may be directed to Dept. Maritime Technology & Production Centre MTP847, Det Norske Veritas AS, Veritasveien 1, N-1322 Høvik, Norway, fax: +47 67 57 9911. E-mail: MTP847@dnv.com.
Copyright and disclaimer: This publication may be reproduced freely on condition that Det Norske Veritas (DNV) is always stated as the source. DNV accepts no responsibility for any errors or misinterpretations.

Fire in engine room

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Course of events

A fire started in the main engine room when at sea. Both main engines were stopped by the crew. The ship had full electrical power supply during the whole event due to separate auxiliary engine room. The crew used CO₂ and water to put out the fire, which was finally extinguished after approximately four hours.

Extent of damage

The main engine room was entirely burned out, including some minor adjacent compartments not protected with A60 insulation.

Probable cause

The fire most probably started due to the breakage of a flexible hose on the low pressure fuel return piping on one of the main engines. The fuel sprayed on to a hot surface and ignited.

Lessons to be learned

• Flanges, turbine housings, clamps and various bolts and nuts on engines are to be checked for insufficient insulation.
  
• Many areas on engines often prove to be hotter than expected (<220^oC), such as indicator cocks, various clamps and bolts and where the insulation underneath tinplates is dislocated or not thick enough.
  
• Control of flexible hoses should be included in the planned maintenance system.
  
• Flexible hoses should only be applied where relative movements can be expected. Where this is not the case, steel pipes are to be utilised. Remember: flexible hoses have a limited lifetime depending on the environmental conditions they are exposed to, and the medium they are applied for. See also below sketches.
  
• Fuel oil piping, including flexible hoses, are to be properly shielded.

Figure: Temperature at indicator cock measured to 324^o C

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