Cruise Talk: What Really Caused the QE1 to Burn

Cruise Talk

Cruise News

Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.

>>> Reader Reviews
>>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery
>>> Join Our Cruise Club.

Latest News...Holland America Line will expand its presence in Europe with year-round operations for the first time, introducing a winter and early-spring program for the 2027–2028 season. The move positions the line to offer a broader range of itineraries beyond the traditional summer months, with Nieuw Statendam remaining in Europe throughout the winter and Zuiderdam adding two additional seasonal voyages...

Latest News...Princess Cruises has outlined its most extensive Europe program to date, announcing 291 departures across 150 itineraries for the 2028 season. Six ships will operate throughout Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and on transatlantic routes, marking the line’s largest-ever deployment in the region. The 2028 program, now open for booking, spans voyages from seven to 53 days and includes...

Latest News...Carnival Cruise Line has completed a major expansion of RelaxAway, its exclusive destination on Half Moon Cay, adding new beachfront space, upgraded amenities and improved access for guests. The enhancements were formally marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony as the line prepares to bring more ships to the private island. The project includes an extended stretch of white-sand beach, additional complimentary...

More Cruise News...

my profile | register | search | faq | forum home

»	Cruise Talk » Technically Speaking » What Really Caused the QE1 to Burn

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: What Really Caused the QE1 to Burn

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 04-02-2013 08:20 PM

At a holiday party I met and engineer who worked on the Long Beach conversion of the Queen Mary 1.

He said the entire electrical system had to be redone from scratch. The ship was 220v DC, and paper insulated wiring. There were many fires onboard that were not publicized.

The Queen Elizabeth 1, was likely to have the same electrical system. In Port Everglades she was shut down as a fire hazard. The legends I hear in books and online help sell books. It could be that QE1, neglected for a while after the Cunard sale could have ignited itself from frayed paper insulated wiring.

Ships electrics are not grounded/earthed like a land building. The pre WW1 German ships had single strand wiring in mothballs, were passed over during WWII for troop conversion due to the dated and dangerous electrics, and I am sure a whole lot of other reasons.

Perhaps Ernst, and Magic Pipe could elucidate.

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Aussie1
First Class Passenger
Member # 25

posted 04-03-2013 02:31 AM

The number of fires igniting all at the same time throughout the ship suggests something more sinister than a fire caused by the wiring.

Posts: 493 | From: Sydney,NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 04-03-2013 07:36 AM

I have a copy of the Report of the Marine Court on the Loss of SS SEAWISE UNIVERSITY, dated 29 June 1972. Their general summation and conclusion was that, while at least 9 individual fires were spotted and fought, it was believed that no less than 3 separate fires started the event, and that the most likely cause was "a series of deliberate acts by a person or persons unknown."

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 04-03-2013 11:54 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Linerrich:
I have a copy of the Report
Rich

Thanks Rich, did the QE1 have the same electrical system of Queen Mary 1?

I do recall the pre WW1 ships and many pre WW2 French ships had dangerous; by today's standards electrical systems. Berengaria: an electrical panel went up in flames in NY harbor, coast guard took its certification, and went to the scrappers immediately after.

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 04-03-2013 02:25 PM

I'm not sure about the electrical systems between QM and QE, although one would think they were quite similar.

Some 30 small fires had broken out during the SEAWISE refit before the Jan. 9th fire, mostly due to welding and hot spot incidents. This may seem incredible, but it continues to this date aboard all ships; in fact nearly every newbuild even today has numerous small fires, sometimes getting out of hand and delaying delivery.

The Marine Court's report, paragraph 172, states "There has been no evidence that any of the outbreaks observed on the SEAWISE can have been due to faulty electrical wiring and we think that this is a possibility which requires no further discussion."

SEAWISE's demise seems clearly to be a case of sabotage, since numerous fires all started around the ship within minutes of each other. It's tempting to wonder about other possible causes, but in this case, the evidence does not support any type of "accident."

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

Indarra
First Class Passenger
Member # 6005

posted 04-11-2013 09:15 AM

The insurers paid up and I think their reasoning is probably the closest we will ever get to the truth of this matter. The following quote from Robert Crawford, CBE, Chairman of the Lloyd's Protection & Indenity Club may be found on p.368 of Cheng & King "The World of C.Y. Tung", Chinese University Press, Hong Kong (2004):
"I had formed the view that the persons who had started these several fires did not intend to destroy the vessel but wished to create enough damage that would detain the vessel into the Chinese New Year so as to provide further employment to the large workforce whose services would otherwise no longer be required. It is the practice for Chinese to endeavour to clear their personal debts before their New Year begins, and I believe that some of this large workforce sought to extend this, probably irreplaceable, source of work and income to tide them over the New Year."

Posts: 274 | From: Tokyo | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 04-11-2013 01:14 PM

For those of you new to the site we have a first hand account of the fire and numerous photos' on this page.

Joe at TravelPage.com

[ 04-11-2013: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Globaliser
First Class Passenger
Member # 4153

posted 04-12-2013 06:36 AM

I can still remember seeing her on fire in the harbour, I think the day that the fires started. Plus, of course, seeing the sad wreck many more times after that.

However, I saw something for the first time a couple of weeks ago. In February 1968, I sailed on her from Southampton to New York. That voyage provided a couple of my very earliest (and extremely hazy) memories, but my parents still have some photos.

An official ship's photo which I've just seen for the first time has a footer caption on it: it turns out that we were on one of her "farewell voyages" as Queen Elizabeth.

Very nostalgic, all of this.

Posts: 1869 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 2003 | IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

Ultimate Bulletin Board^TM 6.1.0.3

VACATION & CRUISE SPECIALS

Check out these great deals from CruisePage.com

Royal Caribbean - Bahamas Getaway from $129 per person

Description: Experience the beautiful ports of Nassau and Royal Caribbean's private island - CocoCay on a 3-night Weekend Getaway to the Bahamas. Absorb everything island life has to offer as you snorkel with the stingrays, parasail above the serene blue waters and walk the endless white sand beaches. From Miami.

Carnival - 4-Day Bahamas from $229 per person

Description: Enjoy a wonderful 3 Day cruise to the fun-loving playground of Nassau, Bahamas. Discover Nassau, the capital city as well as the cultural, commercial and financial heart of the Bahamas. Meet the Atlantic Southern Stingrays, the guardians of Blackbeard's treasure.

NCL - Bermuda - 7 Day from $499 per person

Description: What a charming little chain of islands. Walk on pink sand beaches. Swim and snorkel in turquoise seas. Take in the historical sights. They're stoically British and very quaint. Or explore the coral reefs. You can get to them by boat or propelled by fins. You pick. Freestyle Cruising doesn't tell you where to go or what to do. Sure, you can plan ahead, or decide once onboard. After all, it's your vacation. There are no deadlines or must do's.

Holland America - Eastern Caribbean from From $599 per person

Description: White sand, black sand, talcum soft or shell strewn, the beaches of the Eastern Caribbean invite you to swim, snorkel or simply relax. For shoppers, there's duty-free St. Thomas, the Straw Market in Nassau, French perfume and Dutch chocolates on St. Maarten. For history buffs, the fascinating fusion of Caribbean, Latin and European cultures. For everyone, a day spent on HAL's award winning private island Half Moon Cay.

Celebrity - 7-Night Western Mediterranean from $549 per person

Description: For centuries people have traveled to Europe to see magnificent ruins, art treasures and natural wonders. And the best way to do so is by cruise ship. Think of it - you pack and unpack only once. No wasted time searching for hotels and negotiating train stations. Instead, you arrive at romantic ports of call relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Holland America - Alaska from From $499 per person

Description: Sail between Vancouver and Seward, departing Sundays on the ms Statendam or ms Volendam and enjoy towering mountains, actively calving glaciers and pristine wildlife habitat. Glacier Bay and College Fjord offer two completely different glacier-viewing experiences.

More Vacation & Cruise Specials...