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NWLB wrote:
...(unless she is or was the ship that burned in Japan a few years ago, I'm not up on which of that class was built where.)...

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Different ships. That was DIAMOND PRINCESS.

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Cruise Line Issues Official Star Princess Update -- 5 p.m.
March 23, 2006

Princess Cruises has offered an update on Star Princess, which is currently docked at Jamaica's Montego Bay after a major fire early this morning that spread through approximately 100 passenger staterooms. The cruise line notes that the cause is still unknown -- despite rampant speculation elsewhere that the cause of the fire was a still-lit cigarette -- and Princess is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess the damage.

The cruise will be terminated in Montego Bay -- a decision that won't surprise anyone -- and Princess is working to arrange air home for all passengers. Only those folks who were burned out of their cabins will actually stay in land-based resorts on Jamaica. The remainder will continue to sleep onboard and a spokeswoman says that all facilities are operational.

It anticipates that passengers will be flown home over the next two days. The cruise line will extend a full refund of cruise fare and will cover out-of-pocket travel expenses. Princess also will give passengers a future cruise credit worth about 25 percent of the actual fare paid.

Star Princess' next cruise, slated to depart Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday, March 26, is canceled. According to the statement, "Similarly, passengers booked on this sailing will receive a full refund, the same 25 percent credit towards a future cruise, and Princess will additionally cover out-of-pocket travel expenses as a result of the change."

It also notes that "over the course of the next few days we will fully assess damage caused by the fire and plan to make the necessary temporary repairs to enable the ship to maintain its onward schedule. A plan for the repairs to the affected cabins will also be drawn up, and passengers booked in those cabins will be advised as soon as possible of our forward plans.

"A special number has been set up for inquiries from immediate family of passengers who are currently onboard: 1-800-693-7222."

Princess Cruises

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Originally posted by dmwnc1:
It also notes that "over the course of the next few days we will fully assess damage caused by the fire and plan to make the necessary temporary repairs to enable the ship to maintain its onward schedule.

This I gotta see...

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This will certainly be interesting. The cleanup inside is certainly difficult - but there are companies specialized in that - just a matter of money - the affected cabins are just not used.

The interesting thing will be whether they will come up with some balconies - anything else would not only look ridiculouse but actually might frighten passengers - the rest is ony a 'paint job'.

[ 03-23-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

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Originally posted by dmwnc1:
It also notes that "over the course of the next few days we will fully assess damage caused by the fire and plan to make the necessary temporary repairs to enable the ship to maintain its onward schedule.

This I gotta see...

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Originally posted by Ernst:

It is also not true that there were less fires aboard 'older' ships - e.g. the above mentioned QE2 encountered actually a more severe fire. (I do not remeber whether someone has been killed)

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QE2 has indeed had a few fires, including 4 (that I know of) that occurred while I was on board. One of them required the evacuation of passengers from about 30 cabins on 2 Deck aft at about 2 am on September 9, 1981 on a westbound crossing. The sprinkler system extinguised the fire but made such a mess of the entire section of 2 Deck aft of the G Stairway that the passengers had to be re-assigned to other cabins after spending most of the night in the Queen's Room. The entire section was refurbished over the next 2 days. As far as I know, there were no injuries. No general alarm was sounded, so the vast majority of passengers did not hear about the fire until breakfast time.

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Jamaica. Shortage of accommodation for passengers evacuated from Carnival cruise ship after fire
Marian Martin
March 23, 2006

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association says it is short of about 500 rooms, out of the 1500 that Carnival Cruise Lines have asked to be provided for passengers from the fire damaged Star Princess.

Carnival has issued a statement about the incident in which one passenger suffered a cardiac arrest and died

“This morning at approximately 3:10 am local time, as Star Princess was en route from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, a fire broke out in the passenger accommodations, and spread to adjacent cabins.

Passengers were immediately notified of the fire using the public address system and requested to report to their muster stations. We subsequently completed a full check to account for all passengers and crew.

We deeply regret having to confirm that there has been one passenger fatality following a cardiac arrest, two passengers with significant smoke inhalation injuries and nine passengers with minor complications resulting from smoke inhalation. The injured passengers have been stabilized in the ship's medical center.

The fire is fully out, however there is still residual smoke throughout the affected area. The cause of the fire at this time is unknown.

The ship is carrying a total of 2,690 passengers and 1,123 crew members.

A full damage assessment is being carried out now that the ship has arrived in Montego Bay.

Authorities were immediately contacted regarding the incident and we continue to work closely with all relevant parties.

Star Princess sailed from Fort Lauderdale on March 19 on a western Caribbean itinerary with calls at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay and Princess Cays.”

BYM News

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[ 03-24-2006: Message edited by: Budgie ]

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Originally posted by J.S.S.Normandie:
I'm not doubting that US could burn. She had flammable materials onboard. One of which was the alchohol in the bars. Like Ernst said, after a while everything would probably burn. I'm just saying I'd rather be in one of her asbestos clad cabins when a fire broke out, and have a few extra minutes, than be on Star Princess with a fire spreading that rapidly.

P.S. When I said there was as good a chance of US not cathching fire as there was of NCL restoring her, I meant I don't think NCL is going to restore her.

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I tell you stay a view minute in your US asbestos/cabin pobably you will killed by smocke. It's not the fire that is the first killer but the Smocke. The US by today standards is much unsafer thene the Star Princess. As said before aluminium is flameble and melt down. And the US is almost build up with aluminium. I would not a/b this ship whene there is a fire. Annyway on non ship eather.

I been in a fire whene a pyroman lighted the rubber doormat in oure flat stairwell. The smocke was horrible and we where trapped in oure appartemant. Happy it was not seriously and the fire was out in a view minutes. But the smocke was greacy, bitter and irritating. We could escape to oure balcony. After that the whole 8 appartemants in oure flat could be restored because the thick black smocke of the rubber mat dith a lot of damage.

Therfore i would rather by afraid fore smocke thene the flames.

I have also read of people who insist on taking such things as candles with them! despite being told not to.. and travel irons, I have seen more than one of them burnout.

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Originally posted by J.S.S.Normandie:
I'm not doubting that US could burn. She had flammable materials onboard. One of which was the alchohol in the bars. Like Ernst said, after a while everything would probably burn. I'm just saying I'd rather be in one of her asbestos clad cabins when a fire broke out, and have a few extra minutes, than be on Star Princess with a fire spreading that rapidly.

P.S. When I said there was as good a chance of US not cathching fire as there was of NCL restoring her, I meant I don't think NCL is going to restore her.

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Inflamable buildings only exist in Fahrenheit 411.

Just looking at the pictures of the interior of the Unites States I see a lot of stuff which ca n burn heftily: Furniture (chairs with cushions etc.), cable insualtion, paint, floor covering, table cloth, curtains, I guess some of the wall panelling would also burn - so she was 'inflamable' as the Titanic was 'unsinakble'. I have my doubts that she would comply with nowadays regulations in her original configuration. (most of the 'plastic' used for sure produces very nasty fumes)

[ 03-24-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Lets hope it was just a tragic accident.

I know 1 person dying is 1 too many, but it shows that the emergency and safety procedures on such a large vessel worked, and lets be thankful that there were only a handful of injuries.

We live in this day and age full of electronic gadgets and goodies which, once in a while, if not looked after, can cause problems.

Fingers crossed we don't see this again in a hurry...

The whole point of fire protection is not to be inflammable but to slow down the burning and smoke transmission to the point where people can evacuate.

Las Vegas fire code: In hotels all exit signs must be 12" above the floor so people escaping crawl along the floor to avoid the smoke which would obscure a ceiling sign.

Chicago codes required sealed plenum space [area between the finish ceiling and floor slab] so smoke does not get through the HVAC systems.

Light fittings cannot have styrene since when burning creates black smoke. When PVC burns it gives off deadly chlorine gas.

Hardwood in a 12 x 12 column has a 1 hour fire rating where un-encapsulated steel is 10 minutes.
Coated steel is about 40 minutes.

Another point is there is no one best way to contain fire. Codes are written by committee and political horse trading takes place.

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Originally posted by Ernst:

Inflamable buildings only exist in Fahrenheit 411.

[ 03-24-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

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[ 03-24-2006: Message edited by: desirod7 ]