Star Princess Blaze at Sea

[patrickc]

I still don't get it-- why didn't the sprinklers go off? Now that's scary. How on earth could it have spread from a balcony, outside -- with all the steel-- and honestly, think of how humid & damp it is out at sea. Doesn't make sense. I think there's more to this. Each room ( I thought ) was self-contained w/ sprinkler systems. how can so many cabins go up in flames? I thought it was a little fire when I first heard the story- and cannot believe the pictures. How on earth would you even use the lifeboats on that side of the ship??

[Lady Anna & Sir Troy]

My thoughts and condolences to everyone involved - including the crew and staff.

 

It concerns me that people sat in Muster Roll Call for 7 hours. This should have been a much quicker process and there should have been food! :eek:

 

I was in a balcony cabin of the Star a few months ago during Hurricane Wilma. The balconys are concrete with wood balisters and floor to ceiling windows incased in metal. They have plastic chairs and a few would have the wooden lounge chairs. It's very likely a balcony or two did catch on fire as they put on a LOT of polyurethane on their balconies and this will keep them from rotting and are more likely to burn. There were a few balconies below us - caribe or dolphin level - that had that fake green grass stuff. The fire probably caught there. Then it somehow got into the rooms and burnt up. I'm no expert so I won't comment on more than that. Should the sprinklers have worked better? I have no idea. On a Ocean going ship - I should hope so. I hope they do a full report and investigate thoroughly.

 

I have brought curling irons on trips before (the kind with the automatic shut-off valve). I am throughly ashamed and never read anything or thought of it before. Thankfully I dont believe I ever used it. Anything like irons, smoking, candles, etc., should probably be banned on things like ships and airlines. A matter of safety. Of course, we have no idea what started the fire but it brings up some interesting points.

 

L.A.S.T.

[electricron]

An intersting web site about sprinklers.

 

http://www.nfsa.org/index2.htm

 

Excerpts:

Aside from fire fighting and explosion fatalities, there has never been a multiple loss of life in a fully sprinklered building due to fire or smoke. Individual lives have been lost when the victim or his clothing or immediate surroundings became the source of the fire.

 

A National Fire Protection Association study for the years 1971-1975 found that approximately 20 lives are lost each year in this country in sprinklered buildings, as compared to approximately 4,000 per year in unsprinklered buildings.

 

Automatic fire sprinklers are individually heat-activated, and tied into a network of piping with water under pressure. When the heat of a fire raises the sprinkler temperature to its operating point (usually 165ºF), a solder link will melt or a liquid-filled glass bulb will shatter to open that single sprinkler, releasing water directly over the source of the heat.

 

Automatic fire sprinklers keep fires small. The majority of fires in sprinklered buildings are handled by one or two sprinklers.

 

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In a way, the sprinklers aboard the Star Princess may have saved many lives, the heart attack victim didn't die from the fire or smoke, although the excitement from the fire probably triggered his heart attack. Heart attacks are caused mainly by clogged artieries.

[SHINEMAN]

I wish NCL and the other lines would print out this thread and distribute it to all passengers as they board.

My personal view is that smoking should be banned as sympathetic as I am to the discomfort this causes. Was on the stuff for over 30 years and off them for another 30, but still get the urge.

Banning will require that all cruise lines ban the butts for same reason that banning in restaurants but not bars or vet posts, etc. don't work.Customers will drift to the places where they can puff in peace.

It is also tough to sell booze when smoking is verboten, a conflict of interest of a sort.

This event also raises issues related to ship design. For example, why not sprinlers on balconies and flame retardant materials on balconies?

Realize we are talking about foreign flagged ships here, but shouldn't U.S. have right to insist on safety standards on ships predominantly carrying U.S. passengers?

To close on a positive note...have always been impressed by the fire drills conducted on NCL ships. As often as they do them, the crews carry them out with a very serious attitude, checking all cabins for those who might be taking a snooze, etc. This reflects excellent leadership by NCL officers.

[honestguy]

First off I think everyone is rushing to judgement. Lets ban smoking it caused the fire. No we don't know what caused the fire. Let thecoast guard get on board, and report their findings.

 

Secondly how many people have ever dealt with fire. There is an unbelievable amount of wind when the ship is moving. Even once the fire was reported, and if the ship stopped moving. You would still be left with an ocean breeze around 10 to 20 knots. So no sprinklers, no fire screen doors, and a wind fanning the flames you are left with a very intense fire.

 

Next being a former crew member on board a cruise ship most people dont realize the dangers that lurk on a cruise ship. Fire is the Number one hazard at sea. Most passageners would learn this if they paid attention to the muster drill, however most don't. I Was a muster station leader while on the Pide of Aloha. People would come down and be total idiots. They wouldn't listen, and when yelled at would look at you and say, he's a drill sergant. Please if you cruise go to the muster station. It might save your life.

 

I would also like to address the poster who thought it was appalling that people sat in the muster stations and had no food or ac for 7 hours. Too freaking bad. The whole ship staff was busy responding to this crisis. Your cooks, and waiters are also your firefighters. I got news for everyone. I hope there is never a cruise ship that has to give the order to abbandon ship, but if it is it will be hell on the life boats. They will rock, and rock badly. People will be sick and vommitting on each other, and forget food. Even if you feel like eating no food or water will be rationed until after 24 hours. This is SOP.

 

I would like to say also that the crew had to do an outstanding job fighting this fire. Fire speads so fast, and the star is such a big ship. Most crew members would have been below deck 4, and sleeping at the time. Most jump out of a deep sleep. Run to their fire lockers grab their gear, and with over 70 pounds of gear run up at least 5 flights of stairs to fight a raging inferno. After seeing the video and pictures I can only wonder how close it came to losing the entire ship.

[Lady Anna & Sir Troy]

First - I am diabetic.Woken up around 3:00 - 4:00 am and then not given food until noon would cause issues. I didnt suggest they stop and cook for them. Just something to pass out that could be grabbed quickly along with water. Most people would be fine but there's a few who wouldnt. I never said it was APPALING! In America we often take these things for granted, food and medicine at our fingertips, people use to die when diagnosed, not anymore (thank you modern medicine!)

 

Second (my fault) I thought the musters were being used for roll call check-in. Then people were moved to safety locations - where there wasn't smoke - which may or may not have been at the muster stations. So I meant they could have been quicker with the check-in process, not letting them out to "roam around" in unsafe areas. My mispost or misunderstanding. I wanted them to get to safety quicker.

 

Thank you.

 

L.A.S.T.

[Cobra1365]

I never said that smoking CAUSED this fire...I was responding to the fact that people always carry on about the safety issue of people bringing candles or irons on board but don't bat an eye about the fact that large percentage of the people on board are walking around lighting up cigarettes! A bigger fire hazard by sheer numbers than the hand full of people lighting a candle.

I don't condone either.

As for Carnival's Paradise (Non smoking ship) I think there were several reasons this failed. 1) it was one of the smaller ships when they were promoting the bigger Spirit class and Destiny Class ships....everyone wanted bigger and better even at the expense of a non smoking ship. 2) If the smokers have a choice, they are not going to go on a non smoking ship are they? However, if the choice is not smoking or not cruising...I think they will still go. Habit they can't quit...I don't buy it...people quit every day..is it an inconvenience? YES..so be it.

7 days without a cigarette...c'mon! Do you not get of the ship in port?

OK sorry if you have to go all day on the at sea days...but I'm not going to shed a tear over it.

Am I a non smoking crusader? No...do what you want with YOUR life...but when it impacts the safety of me and my loved ones...YES I take issue.

 

Did a cigarette or cigar cause this fire? I don't know...To me it's a separate issue from what my initial post was about. I do feel sorry for any loss of life or property what ever the cause.

 

But I will stand by my OPINION that smoking does not belong on a vessel at sea. I will concede that something like St Louis Int Airport uses might work. Glassed in cubicles that are smoking areas...self contained with absolutely no flammable items inside.

 

Sorry folks but I have over 3000 hours flying and fire was always one of my fears...I am a staunch believer in this...not a crusader.

 

Cheers

[calmac]

I wish NCL and the other lines would print out this thread and distribute it to all passengers as they board.

 

Or perhaps they should just display photos of the burnt cabins on the otherwise pristine white ship.

 

This accident will make people here (CC) think more about the dangers of fire on board a ship but there are many cruisers who will not be aware of this accident and who never come across sites like CC.