Smokey on Iona

[scooby1]

It’s all great having wheel chairs with batteries, until it’s not, pretty scary, this was a Lithium battery escalating and exploding. Fortunately everyone was safe but people close I would expect are shook up with parts of the battery fired towards them. This was today on Iona, currently delayed starting the cruise due to the incident. A review of them being allowed needed potentially, what if this was in the cabins?

Edited October 21, 2023 by scooby1

[Angel57]

Oh wow…….

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Oh wow…….

Why was the battery sitting there on its lonesome  where was the wheelchair/scooter it belongs to?

[molecrochip]

This is never good to see, but it shows that the staff responded swiftly, as trained and stopped a worse incident.

 

Well done.

[scooby1]

We got there and saw smoke coming from the battery someone must have pulled it from a mobility scooter / wheel chair. (Some thought it was a firework but I’ve seen these go before but not on a cruise ship). This is why some buildings and landlords are banning lithium batteries from bikes / chairs being charged inside. Maybe next for cruise ships. 
 

The issues with these going of it didn’t stop continued to go from battery to battery cell exploding bits across the floor putting out acrid smoke out. We left after the last show and it’s been closed since. 
 

An hour late setting sail and a very long safety briefing if there is a fire than I’ve ever heard. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

31 minutes ago, scooby1 said:

We got there and saw smoke coming from the battery someone must have pulled it from a mobility scooter / wheel chair. (Some thought it was a firework but I’ve seen these go before but not on a cruise ship). This is why some buildings and landlords are banning lithium batteries from bikes / chairs being charged inside. Maybe next for cruise ships. 
 

The issues with these going of it didn’t stop continued to go from battery to battery cell exploding bits across the floor putting out acrid smoke out. We left after the last show and it’s been closed since. 
 

An hour late setting sail and a very long safety briefing if there is a fire than I’ve ever heard. 

Even worse if one catches fire in hold of an aeroplane

[Peterson78]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Even worse if one catches fire in hold of an aeroplane

Pretty sure you cannot take as checked luggage.

[terrierjohn]

15 minutes ago, Peterson78 said:

Pretty sure you cannot take as checked luggage.

Where else you put a mobility scooter?

[Peterson78]

Scooter can…. Battery can’t.

That’s why lithium batteries must be carried in carry on, tablets etc.

[terrierjohn]

Just now, Peterson78 said:

Scooter can…. Battery can’t.

That’s why lithium batteries must be carried in carry on, tablets etc.

I think you need to read the rules again, scooters with lithium ion batteries up to a rating of 100wh can be taken as checked luggage.

[Peterson78]

Do scooters have batteries that low Wh ?

[jillybilly47]

We have a fire/bomb proof bag for my lithium battery on my folding mobility scooter. The battery has to be taken off the scooter and put in the bag as carry on luggage on the plane. Also the battery is put in the bag when charging on a ship.

[scooby1]

Well after 48hrs the smell has gone, it was still there the following day. Still think a review is necessary but can see others have different views. 
 

You don’t smell smoke when you are asleep fortunately the smoke detectors do, waking up wet and with an electrical fire might not be idea though. 

[9265359]

20 minutes ago, scooby1 said:

Still think a review is necessary but can see others have different views. 

 

I have no doubt that P&O (as demonstrated) have good protocols to deal with the rare lithium battery fires that occur.

 

So what would a review achieve?

 

That on rare occasions lithium batteries catch fire - that's why the crew has fire fighting training.

 

That P&O ban lithium battery wheelchairs - given that a substantial market they target are those who rely on wheelchairs that isn't going to do much for the profit line.

 

That P&O inspect every lithium battery as they are brought on board in the hope of detecting an internal fault - I can't see that working at all.

[scooby1]

In many residential / landlord accommodation they are banning the charging of higher powered lithium batteries being charged indoors. Why?

 

There have been many deaths and fires due to sub standard none regulated equipment being used. So yes there could at least be a requirement to ensure that any larger lithium batteries need to be from X certification or suppliers that seems entirely reasonable. People could know if they are compliant and the ship and passengers could be safer. 
 

Doesn’t that and a review seem a sensible step, it certainly does to me seeing the apporach on land. The market and customers shouldn’t at any point compromise safety in the search for profits. 

[9265359]

36 minutes ago, scooby1 said:

In many residential / landlord accommodation they are banning the charging of higher powered lithium batteries being charged indoors. Why?

 

Because unfortunately many landlords are... well I will stop there.

 

37 minutes ago, scooby1 said:

There have been many deaths and fires due to sub standard none regulated equipment being used. So yes there could at least be a requirement to ensure that any larger lithium batteries need to be from X certification or suppliers that seems entirely reasonable. People could know if they are compliant and the ship and passengers could be safer. 

 

So the check would just be that the device has a CE mark (or whatever the abandoned British version is)  - I would put money on the battery and charger that you saw going up in smoke having such a mark, so that check would be pointless.

 

40 minutes ago, scooby1 said:

Doesn’t that and a review seem a sensible step, it certainly does to me seeing the apporach on land. The market and customers shouldn’t at any point compromise safety in the search for profits. 

 

There is plenty of security theatre that takes place already, and more isn't needed.

[Selbourne]

When we were on Britannia in July, there was a suite a few doors down that had a mobility scooter parked outside of it whenever the occupants were there (including all night). I was quite surprised about that as I thought P&O made it clear that you had to keep them within the cabin. It was a large scooter and it wasn’t an accessible suite, so wouldn’t have fitted inside. I didn’t say anything but the fire risk did cross my mind. 

[Harry Peterson]

Sometimes, practicalities have to be considered along with safety considerations. Crossing the road is very risky, but we do it because it’s necessary. The fact that incidents like this haven’t featured before suggests they’re very rare indeed, and it would surely be disproportionate to ban all battery scooters, wheelchairs etc..

 

Anything with a battery in it has the potential for causing a fire, but you can’t ban everything.

[zap99]

16 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

Because unfortunately many landlords are... well I will stop there.

 

 

So the check would just be that the device has a CE mark (or whatever the abandoned British version is)  - I would put money on the battery and charger that you saw going up in smoke having such a mark, so that check would be pointless.

 

 

There is plenty of security theatre that takes place already, and more isn't needed.

I agree with you. Ignore the whole problem, don't review anything. What's a small fire in a ship.?

[pete14]

12 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

When we were on Britannia in July, there was a suite a few doors down that had a mobility scooter parked outside of it whenever the occupants were there (including all night). I was quite surprised about that as I thought P&O made it clear that you had to keep them within the cabin. It was a large scooter and it wasn’t an accessible suite, so wouldn’t have fitted inside. I didn’t say anything but the fire risk did cross my mind. 

I can well understand why you said nothing and I am concerned that the cabin steward / supervisor or another crew member apparently did nothing. Putting such an impediment in such a narrow corridor is surely dangerous for a person with a sight impairment. Mind you, during the day there are often trolleys used by cabin stewards left in the corridors.

[scooby1]

7 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I agree with you. Ignore the whole problem, don't review anything. What's a small fire in a ship.?

Seems that is what some would prefer. Cruising pre pandemic there were far fewer mobility scooters or electrical things at all. The last two cruises this year things have massively increased. Thus the potential for an incident goes up hand and glove with that. 
 

I’m genuinely should that many see this as not a growing problem. We are on Iona now and the smell days later is still there if you go past the same spot. Imagine that around cabins and the danger of far more flammable items that could go up escalating the situation. 
 

Hope what we had on Iona whilst in dock nobody else has to go through. Seems many are just happy to ‘see what happens’ which seems on as the fire is the worst thing you would ever want at see. 

[Selbourne]

1 minute ago, pete14 said:

I can well understand why you said nothing and I am concerned that the cabin steward / supervisor or another crew member apparently did nothing. Putting such an impediment in such a narrow corridor is surely dangerous for a person with a sight impairment. Mind you, during the day there are often trolleys used by cabin stewards left in the corridors.

In fairness it was an aft suite and the corridor in that area was around double the normal corridor width, so it wasn’t in anybody’s way, but it was the fire risk that crossed my mind. I appreciate that the chances of it igniting are probably minuscule, but had it done so I dare say that it would have trapped occupants inside several cabins. 

[9265359]

27 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I agree with you. Ignore the whole problem, don't review anything. What's a small fire in a ship.?

 

You missed the /s

 

What is your solution? Ban all powered wheelchairs? Because it is either that or nothing.

 

17 minutes ago, scooby1 said:

Seems many are just happy to ‘see what happens’

 

Some people just recognise that a 'something must be done, and doing that is something' attitude isn't always the best.

[jeanlyon]

I remember a cargo ship with 3000 electric cars on board had a huge fire and sank only 6 months ago.  All caused by lithium battery.

[david63]

Was this an actual incident or was it an exercise?

 

I find it a little strange that the battery is on its own in the middle of the atrium and that there does not appear to be anybody else about other than crew.