Star Fire - Origin Cabin

[Twinflow]

I have searched for close up photos of the fire. The exterior photo shows one cabin on the Dolpin Deck with major fire damage. You will see little if no damage in the photo to other cabins on that same deck. This cabin is just above the Rapid Response Rescue Boat hanging on the side of the ship. The most intense heat damage to balcones is above this cabin. You will see the balcones melted away above this cabin. The fire may of started here and spread rapidly in a V like pattern. Remember fire drop down from upper floors usually does not cause serious damage. Does anyone else see what I am talking about?

 

Has anyone found close up photos of the damage?

[judynorth]

Yes, I noticed the same thing. It would be reasonable to assume that the fire started in the cabin (or on the balcony) of the cabin on Dolphin deck. Interesting.

[Tater1800]

I have searched for close up photos of the fire. The exterior photo shows one cabin on the Dolpin Deck with major fire damage. You will see little if no damage in the photo to other cabins on that same deck. This cabin is just above the Rapid Response Rescue Boat hanging on the side of the ship. The most intense heat damage to balcones is above this cabin. You will see the balcones melted away above this cabin. The fire may of started here and spread rapidly in a V like pattern. Remember fire drop down from upper floors usually does not cause serious damage. Does anyone else see what I am talking about?

 

Has anyone found close up photos of the damage?

 

Here is a cropped hi res image I took from accross the bay. It is in "tif" format and about 500k.

 

http://home.alltel.net/hyatts1/startiff.tif

[KMagz]

Yes, I noticed the same thing. It would be reasonable to assume that the fire started in the cabin (or on the balcony) of the cabin on Dolphin deck. Interesting.

All speculation on my part -- the only issue I have with that theory is this ship was likley moving at the time of the fire with a considerable "breeze" moving from front to back. Given that, I would have expected the origin to be further forward with the wind spreading it aft.

 

Repeat -- pure specualtion.

 

Ken M

[Coolmama_1]

I have searched for close up photos of the fire. The exterior photo shows one cabin on the Dolpin Deck with major fire damage. You will see little if no damage in the photo to other cabins on that same deck. This cabin is just above the Rapid Response Rescue Boat hanging on the side of the ship. The most intense heat damage to balcones is above this cabin. You will see the balcones melted away above this cabin. The fire may of started here and spread rapidly in a V like pattern. Remember fire drop down from upper floors usually does not cause serious damage. Does anyone else see what I am talking about?

 

Has anyone found close up photos of the damage?

 

interesting thought.

[Host CJSKIDS]

A bunch of different staff members told me that they believe it started on deck 11 in cabin 304 or 306. Not sure if there is any truth to this, it's just what I was told by various crew. Maybe who ever was in these cabins can share whether or not this was true.

[MusicalCruiser]

There was an investigator, an officer, passengers of the cabin two down from us in the 600's on Aloha deck port side and the first response firefighter all talking on the passenger's balcony on Friday afternoon (that cabin has an emergency hose box across the hall from it and the hose had been pulled through the cabin to the balcony during the fire). We overheard the firefighter say that they had determined that the fire started on the Baha (deck 11) 310 cabin's balcony. He said that he was able to put the cabin fire out pretty fast, but when he opened up the balcony door to work on the fire outside, the balcony fell away. Lucky for him the guy behind him was able to grab his belt or he would have gone over the side. They didn't know at the time exactly what started the fire and could only speculate like the rest of us are doing.

[cusyl]

Will be interesting to follow this and see if the origin cabin occupant will be prosecuted. Can you just imagine the financial ruin this would cause for an individual......

[DENNAS]

If the fire started on the Baja Deck (11), and I am reading on the boards that the "300's 400's and 500's from the 8th Deck, (Emerald) and up on the Port side were affected", would anyone know if the 8th Deck had sustained fire damage or water damage? (or both) Just wondering. Thanks !

[Gypsywych]

Will be interesting to follow this and see if the origin cabin occupant will be prosecuted. Can you just imagine the financial ruin this would cause for an individual......

 

Just to add another thought.... I've heard more than one complaint about cigarettes being tossed off the side and landing on a balcony below. How will anyone know where/who the cigarette came from?

[MusicalCruiser]

Even with knowing the cabin of origin, I don't believe that officials will be able to prove that the occupants were at fault if the fire was caused by a cigarette (unless that person was to admit to leaving an unattended, lit one on their balcony). That cigarette could have come from any cabin above or near them and with the ship moving at 15 knots and a strong wind to boot, the responsible person may never be found.

[Starbright]

Even if it could be proved that the fire started in that cabin, how does that mean the passenger was bound to be at fault? The fire could have been started by faulty wiring or a defective TV set.

[spongerob]

Just a hunch, but I'd be willing to lay odds that the cause of this fire is NOT a carelessly discarded cigarette.

 

By the way, why is it always a cigarette? What if it was a carelessly tossed joint? This is the Caribbean, after all...;)

 

What if it turns out to be an upset teenager? Will we be so quick to label all teenagers as ticking time bombs and ban their presence so we can feel safer? Or will we say that he was just acting out and was unable to deal with his emotions during this turbulent and hormonally charged period of his life, and just go ahead and ban smoking because that's what we really want?

 

What if it turns out that a party got out of hand and over-proof alcohol was involved. Will we readily subject to having all liquor carried on board confiscated and ban the consumption of distilled spirits in passenger cabins? Of course not. We like to drink and we like to save money and we're all responsible when consuming alcohol, so why should we suffer because of one person's stupidity? Just ban smoking, because it will make us all feel better and we don't like smokers and think they should all be damned to deepist pits of Hades.

[MusicalCruiser]

I believe I read that a Star passenger, in another thread, said that she spoke to one of the USCG investigators and he said that the cause of the fire was not electrical.

[iowated]

My wife and I were in the internet cafe on deck 7 when the fire started. They called over the loudspeaker "assessment party to ---". I can't remember the cabin number but it was on deck 11, I think in the 300 section of rooms. This was shortly after 3 AM. I thought about going up to see what was going on but when we started toward the stairs we heard a loud blast on the intercom calling the crew to muster stations. I believe it may have been followed by an announcement or something about a fire. We went up the main stairs to deck 10 to awaken our son in room c536 on the port side and then to our room, c632. I opened the curtains and saw embers flying by with some landing on our balcony. I went out on the balcony and saw a roaring fire with flames visible outside the ship. It looked like it was on the 11th and 12th decks quite a way up the ship. We proceeded to muster station C but could not find our 15 year old son or his roommate. The crew was very helpful in locating them. It took awhile but they were sleeping on a couch in the wheelhouse bar. The crew kept everyone calm, and the captain had frequent updates on the progress of the firefighters. The lifeboats and rafts were lowered to the Promenade Deck and I am certain they would have gotten the passengers off safely had they needed to.

[nschurr]

"What if it turns out to be an upset teenager? Will we be so quick to label all teenagers as ticking time bombs and ban their presence so we can feel safer?"

 

Very interesting!

[spongerob]

Before someone takes my previous comments the wrong way, let me say that I have no knowledge about how the fire started. I'm just using absurdity to illustrate the absurd response to the cigarette rumor. I'm just being satirical and admit that there is still a possibility that a careless smoker is to blame.

 

Iowated - I heard a similar announcement once and no one would explain what it meant. Thanks, that clears that up.

[lkmamom]

Just a hunch, but I'd be willing to lay odds that the cause of this fire is NOT a carelessly discarded cigarette.

 

By the way, why is it always a cigarette? What if it was a carelessly tossed joint? This is the Caribbean, after all...;)

 

What if it turns out to be an upset teenager? Will we be so quick to label all teenagers as ticking time bombs and ban their presence so we can feel safer? Or will we say that he was just acting out and was unable to deal with his emotions during this turbulent and hormonally charged period of his life, and just go ahead and ban smoking because that's what we really want?

 

What if it turns out that a party got out of hand and over-proof alcohol was involved. Will we readily subject to having all liquor carried on board confiscated and ban the consumption of distilled spirits in passenger cabins? Of course not. We like to drink and we like to save money and we're all responsible when consuming alcohol, so why should we suffer because of one person's stupidity? Just ban smoking, because it will make us all feel better and we don't like smokers and think they should all be damned to deepist pits of Hades.

 

Rob, I do not think that it was a lone cigarette as well. This smoking subject just drives me nuts. Smoking has been around for a long time and will continue to be. It does not bother me as much as it bothers DH but then again, I do not spend my day like he does showing people what is bound to happen if they do not stop.

That aside, I know that smoking is enjoyable for those that do it. I have no problem with that, but it is the stupid things that people do with their cigarettes that bugs me.I know that it "does not rain cigarette butts", but trust me, on our last cruise we had a neighbor above us that threw each and every finished cigarette over the side even while we were sitting there at times. I think that it was totally non provoked, just a habit, he probably did that at home too.When I offered him very politely, a Coke can to put them into( after a couple days of it), I got blasted.Totally not necessary, went through the whole"it's my vacation thing" blah blah blah.And yet another no win situation.

And that, is an example of where my patience for this subject runs thin.

You see, it is the minority of people that refuse to respect others that cause some to think all smokers are horrible or all people that drink alchohal are irresponsible or all parents with the dreaded teens are going to break out into a hormanal rage any second:eek: ,notice I said some, I saw that dreaded controlled "hormonal rage" this weekend when I saw our

teen's room;) .What's the answer? I have 'nt a clue. Nothing will make every single person happy.

Linda

[Tom O.]

According to an article in the Miami Herald the fire started on Deck 10, which if I remember right is the Dolphin Deck. The Miami Herald seems to be the only news source that is keeping close tabs on the situation. To see an interesting article on the speculations of the cause go to:

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/14182486.htm

[spongerob]

Deck 10 is Caribe.

[ISLAND MAN]

IOWATED

Your recall of the situation is the same as mine. First announcement was "assessment party to 3_ _, Deck 11. We were in Cabin C610 and saw the smoke and embers racing through our Balcony.

I remember while in Muster C, 2 teenage boys that had been seperated from parents. My wife and I are in our early 50's and these kind young men gave up their seats for us. I'll know if it was your boys if you ask them if they played a word game with movies. They started in the beginning of the alphabet and named a movie progressively.We had fun listening to them.They proceeded to fall asleep on the floor. Oh, to be a teen again and be able to sleep anywhere! Let me know if it was them, and if so, please thank them again. Glad all of your are re-united and all is well.

[Terre]

Aren't the balconies made of steel? What would have been hot enough to melt them away?:confused:

[AliceS]

iowated,

 

????? It's 3AM and you're in the internet cafe' and your kids are sleeping in the Wheelhouse Bar on a sofa? Guess you're not morning people. Why does that sound odd to me?

 

I really feel for anyone onboard when this tragedy happened. It had to be a really bad experience. Hopefully everyone will get home safely and future cruisers wil deal with rescheduled vacation plans. The real shame is for the family of the heart patient who lost his life.

[DeltaOne]

My wife and I were in the internet cafe on deck 7 when the fire started.

You were in the Internet cafe at 3 am? Couldn't sleep?

[SingerEsq]

Whatever is determined to be the cause of the fire, it does not make sense to denounce the possibility that this could have been caused by a cigarette. If memory serves me, the Carnival Elation fire was caused by a single spark from a welder's iron. I was aboard the Constitution years ago when a fire broke out from freshly ironed sheets being packed away in the laundry before they were cooled. Princess routinely makes annoucments requesting that people refrain from throwing things overboard, especially lit cigarettes b/c they can be drawn back into the ship and cause a fire. These are not just idle announcments. A Discovery Channel documentary on the renovation of (I think) an RCCL ship explained how a single spark or ember can travel through a ship's ventilation system and result in a fire far away from its origin.

 

One of the worst things that can happen in a hotel or a cruise ship is a fire. This is due to readily available accelerants (furniture, carpet, wood, rubber flooring on balconey decks, etc.), their proximity, how fast a relatively small fire can spread and how hot they can be (e.g., melted balconies). Such disasters as the MGM fire and the San Juan Dupont fire come to mind, and it is only b/c of the fire suppression crews and equipment such as those aboard the Star, the Elation and the now-gone Connie that avert such tragedies.