The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has released an investigative report on the January 2020 fire that occurred on a Shrimp factory-freezer trawler. During the incident, a wooden footrest in the vessel’s sauna caught fire. At the time, the Newfoundland Lynx was 166 km northeast of St. Anthony, N.L. There were 29 people aboard the ship.
The TSB’s report found that the fire detection system on the vessel had failed:
The sauna on board the Newfoundland Lynx was equipped with a heat detector set at 120 °C, yet this part of the fire detection system did not activate the vessel’s fire alarm at any point during the emergency. Instead, the chief mate had to manually activate the fire alarm and make an announcement on the vessel’s PA system. The fire detection system on board the Newfoundland Lynx was last tested and inspected in September 2019 as part of the annual survey conducted by the recognized organization.
The report also addressed the regulatory requirements regarding fire drills:
The regulations state that the master of a vessel shall ensure that enough fire drills and survival craft drills for the crew of the vessel are held to ensure that the entire crew is at all times competent and operationally ready to respond to the emergencies addressed by the drills.
The regulations also indicate that these drills must include varied and realistic emergency scenarios, so that crews are prepared for “the various emergencies that could occur, depending on the type of vessel and its cargo”
Our attorneys have extensive experience in maritime injury and wrongful death litigation in courts across the country and the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives as a result of the negligence of another party, or been seriously injured. We have handled numerous cases involving fires or explosions in a maritime environment. The experienced vessel accident attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of a boat accident or fire. Please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or to learn more about your legal rights.