Carnival Cruise Ship Fire Started by Fuel Leak: Coast Guard

February 20, 2013

The fire on board the Carnival Corp. cruise ship that drifted for days in the Gulf of Mexico awash in raw sewage started from fuel from a leaking diesel engine line that ignited, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday.

More than 4,200 passenger and crew were stranded for five days last week on board the Triumph cruise ship, a journey followed closely by U.S. cable television news stations that regaled audiences with details about backed-up plumbing and overflowing toilets on board the damaged vessel.

The ship was towed into port in Mobile, Alabama late on Thursday.

The fuel leaked from a diesel fuel oil return line that was touching a hot surface and caught fire, said U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Teresa Hatfield in a conference call with reporters.

The investigation into the incident, which also is being studied by the National Transportation Safety Board, is likely to take as long as six months, she said.

There was no indication the fire was intentional, she said.

 

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Latest Comments

  • February 20, 2013 at 5:59 pm
    Agent says:
    It seems like it took a long time for Carnival to respond and get help to this ship and then a very long time to tow it in. I would guess the Risk Manager from Carnival is lo... read more
  • February 20, 2013 at 5:32 pm
    Center Point says:
    Nah, they just discount cruises more. This helps speed up cruise from hell amnesia.
  • February 20, 2013 at 5:04 pm
    They did says:
    What got knocked out was the back up systems in addition to the main problems caused by the fire.
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