Fire aboard Explorer of the Seas

[rmhelton]

Fire Reported Aboard Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas | Cruise Law News

[smokeybandit]

Cruise Law News likes to embellish things that make the cruise industry look bad, so who knows what the actual truth is here.

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Cruise Law News likes to embellish things that make the cruise industry look bad, so who knows what the actual truth is here.

My wife's lawyer specializes in Maritime Law, in Ft. Lauderdale, but that's not what she has him for.  Anyway, his firm is very very active in suing the cruise industry for slip and falls, food poisoning, et al.  He has bus benches and shelters with his advertising on them around and in Port Everglades, "If you are hurt or sick while on a cruise, call (XXX) XXX-XXXX".  

[neverbeenhere]

Are John and Mary Fire sailing on the Explorer? Good to know. 
 

 

 

 

[BND]

26 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Cruise Law News likes to embellish things that make the cruise industry look bad, so who knows what the actual truth is here.

Ambulance chaser of the seas. 🙂

On GR several years ago we had a "fire" which turned out to be a smoking light fixture on Deck 8 Centrum.  They called out the fire teams. We were in the DL in the VCL and watched the crews outside.  It was pretty quickly handled and when we went to our cabin on Deck 8, it smelled like an electrical fire.  Problem with fire in electrical systems is it can travel along the wiring.  I googled this topic and got two real hits, one was the link posted and the other was this thread.  Obviously, not a big deal, but I wonder about the fact there was only one passenger who reported it and what the reality is.

Edited September 20, 2022 by BND

[Mum2Mercury]

Wow, no one was hurt? 

Did they send cruisers to their muster stations? 

[Cruising89143]

I refuse to click on that site. I don’t believe half of what is posted on there. 

[rmhelton]

I thought I had some breaking news to report. I will find out how true the story is soon. We will be cruising on Explorer starting this Sunday

[Cruising89143]

4 minutes ago, rmhelton said:

I thought I had some breaking news to report. I will find out how true the story is soon. We will be cruising on Explorer starting this Sunday

Please do not take it personal. There may have been an issue on board the ship but many of us have been around long enough to know this this firm will bring a lawsuit against a cruise line in a minute. 

[Aquahound]

I was just about to click the link, but then I saw the firm at the end of it.  I agree with everyone else.  I've actually had dealings with that guy, so I know first-hand how he embellishes and misleads.

 

Like Gator said, something probably did happen.  However, CLN is not a trusted source.  

Edited September 21, 2022 by Aquahound

[Merion_Mom]

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

Do Not Click.

[chengkp75]

10 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Wow, no one was hurt? 

Did they send cruisers to their muster stations? 

Probably not.  This was likely a "code bravo" (or whatever term RCI uses), where the fire teams respond, and only when the on scene commander recommends to the Captain that the situation requires sending passengers to muster would that happen.  For every 100 fires on cruise ships, there may be one passenger muster.

[Engineroom Snipe]

11 hours ago, BND said:

Ambulance chaser of the seas. 🙂

On GR several years ago we had a "fire" which turned out to be a smoking light fixture on Deck 8 Centrum.  They called out the fire teams. We were in the DL in the VCL and watched the crews outside.  It was pretty quickly handled and when we went to our cabin on Deck 8, it smelled like an electrical fire.  Problem with fire in electrical systems is it can travel along the wiring.  I googled this topic and got two real hits, one was the link posted and the other was this thread.  Obviously, not a big deal, but I wonder about the fact there was only one passenger who reported it and what the reality is.

On board a Navy vessel, there will be fire damage control based on four categories: Alpha, something that leaves ash like wood and paper, Bravo, liquid fuel like aviation or diesel, Charlie, a fire whose ignition and continuing combustion depends upon an electrical source, or Delta, a chemical or molecular material that after getting hot enough starts to use itself as a source of fuel and oxygen.

 

In this case for example, an exterior light fixture gets too much salt water condensation, it might short out the base when the salt water starts conducting the electricity instead of the bulb. The surrounding plastic materials might overheat and start burning as they melt. The first thing in damage control is to disconnect the electrical power source. Until this is done, The fire will keep reigniting itself despite copious amounts of water or extinguishing agents. On an exterior fixture on the weather decks, the fastest way to fight it is to disconnect the power and use a saltwater low velocity fog nozzle. They would not have to worry about water damage to the rest of the ship since it will just drain off into the ocean.

 

Should be no danger once extinguished. After action remedial inspections should include fixture, cables, raceways, and surrounding cables up to and including the disconnecting protective device (circuit breaker or fuse). Not hard to do for a trained crew. Should be nothing to worry about in this case.

 

If the current gets too high, the fuse or breaker should react and do an automatic disconnect. The wires are rated for the disconnect so any damage in this case should be limited to the fixture and immediate area wiring.

[BND]

13 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

On board a Navy vessel, there will be fire damage control based on four categories: Alpha, something that leaves ash like wood and paper, Bravo, liquid fuel like aviation or diesel, Charlie, a fire whose ignition and continuing combustion depends upon an electrical source, or Delta, a chemical or molecular material that after getting hot enough starts to use itself as a source of fuel and oxygen.

 

In this case for example, an exterior light fixture gets too much salt water condensation, it might short out the base when the salt water starts conducting the electricity instead of the bulb. The surrounding plastic materials might overheat and start burning as they melt. The first thing in damage control is to disconnect the electrical power source. Until this is done, The fire will keep reigniting itself despite copious amounts of water or extinguishing agents. On an exterior fixture on the weather decks, the fastest way to fight it is to disconnect the power and use a saltwater low velocity fog nozzle. They would not have to worry about water damage to the rest of the ship since it will just drain off into the ocean.

 

Should be no danger once extinguished. After action remedial inspections should include fixture, cables, raceways, and surrounding cables up to and including the disconnecting protective device (circuit breaker or fuse). Not hard to do for a trained crew. Should be nothing to worry about in this case.

 

If the current gets too high, the fuse or breaker should react and do an automatic disconnect. The wires are rated for the disconnect so any damage in this case should be limited to the fixture and immediate area wiring.

My DH is a retired US Navy Captain.   I was just posting an experience we had and observed onboard.  He explained to our friends what was going on and why.   

Edited September 21, 2022 by BND

[Engineroom Snipe]

8 minutes ago, BND said:

My DH is a retired US Navy Captain.   I was just posting an experience we had and observed onboard.  He explained to our friends what was going on and why.   

Sorry, I was not aware you had a previous explanation. My post would be redundant after a US Navy Captain explained everything to you. My rating in the Navy was much lower than a full bird Captain. I was trying to reassure any future cruisers of that ship who might be worried the ship would be unsafe. I do not feel that RCL would ever intentionally send a ship to sea with significant safety problems or risks.

[hannibal54]

25 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

On board a Navy vessel, there will be fire damage control based on four categories: Alpha, something that leaves ash like wood and paper, Bravo, liquid fuel like aviation or diesel, Charlie, a fire whose ignition and continuing combustion depends upon an electrical source, or Delta, a chemical or molecular material that after getting hot enough starts to use itself as a source of fuel and oxygen.

 

In this case for example, an exterior light fixture gets too much salt water condensation, it might short out the base when the salt water starts conducting the electricity instead of the bulb. The surrounding plastic materials might overheat and start burning as they melt. The first thing in damage control is to disconnect the electrical power source. Until this is done, The fire will keep reigniting itself despite copious amounts of water or extinguishing agents. On an exterior fixture on the weather decks, the fastest way to fight it is to disconnect the power and use a saltwater low velocity fog nozzle. They would not have to worry about water damage to the rest of the ship since it will just drain off into the ocean.

 

Should be no danger once extinguished. After action remedial inspections should include fixture, cables, raceways, and surrounding cables up to and including the disconnecting protective device (circuit breaker or fuse). Not hard to do for a trained crew. Should be nothing to worry about in this case.

 

If the current gets too high, the fuse or breaker should react and do an automatic disconnect. The wires are rated for the disconnect so any damage in this case should be limited to the fixture and immediate area wiring.

 

When I was in the Navy, I got put on the fire detail as the electrician. This was on an aircraft carrier, fortunately there weren't any fires while I served on that detail.

[Ocean Boy]

6 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Sorry, I was not aware you had a previous explanation. My post would be redundant after a US Navy Captain explained everything to you. My rating in the Navy was much lower than a full bird Captain. I was trying to reassure any future cruisers of that ship who might be worried the ship would be unsafe. I do not feel that RCL would ever intentionally send a ship to sea with significant safety problems or risks.

Nothing for you to be sorry about. You provided a very good post.

[BND]

9 minutes ago, hannibal54 said:

 

When I was in the Navy, I got put on the fire detail as the electrician. This was on an aircraft carrier, fortunately there weren't any fires while I served on that detail.

No, but they practice a lot.  I used to go onboard and have dinner in the wardroom when my DH stood duty.  They had fire drills all the time.

[hannibal54]

6 minutes ago, BND said:

No, but they practice a lot.  I used to go onboard and have dinner in the wardroom when my DH stood duty.  They had fire drills all the time.

 

I know about the drills. I had a brief case full of electrical tools that I had to take to the fire or drill. Normally that case and I were some distances apart, so I would first have to run to get my tools, then run to the scene. I was an EM3, Electricians Mate Third Class.

[robmtx]

OK here you go guys. Ready for this?  Used some anonymous browsing to visit the site:

 

Store room - sports deck
Deck 12 and 13 closed (article doesn't mention for how long)
Captain made an announcement saying fire was under control but there was damage to the area.
There are no reports of injury to either guests or crew members.

Passenger reporting this wishes to remain.. wait for it... ANONYMOUS!

 

Also the article had two links to Twitter accounts. Both took you to the law firm twitter acct with pics of Explorer..wait for it.. STOCK PHOTOS! It was the same stock photo both times.

 

 

[BND]

1 hour ago, robmtx said:

OK here you go guys. Ready for this?  Used some anonymous browsing to visit the site:

 

Store room - sports deck
Deck 12 and 13 closed (article doesn't mention for how long)
Captain made an announcement saying fire was under control but there was damage to the area.
There are no reports of injury to either guests or crew members.

Passenger reporting this wishes to remain.. wait for it... ANONYMOUS!

 

Also the article had two links to Twitter accounts. Both took you to the law firm twitter acct with pics of Explorer..wait for it.. STOCK PHOTOS! It was the same stock photo both times.

 

 

So, apparently one anonymous guest knows about it lol.  Funny there's no other report anywhere about it.  I just googled again and literally the only two hits are the link posted and this thread.

[smokeybandit]

When Carnival had its whale tail fire, there were dozens of reports, photos, videos.

 

This fire, which supposedly was major enough to close decks, has 1 anonymous report and nothing else?

Edited September 21, 2022 by smokeybandit

[BND]

Oh and there's one short reddit thread that is also about and linking the ambulance chasers website.

[chengkp75]

21 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

When Carnival had its whale tail fire, there were dozens of reports, photos, videos.

 

This fire, which supposedly was major enough to close decks, has 1 anonymous report and nothing else?

Closing of decks is required when in passenger areas, regardless of how small the fire is, particularly until the actual extent is determined.  I don't doubt this happened, but it just isn't a major incident, but Walker always has crew and people who get freaked, and want to sue over anything, or get paid for reporting things.

[smokeybandit]

10 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Closing of decks is required when in passenger areas, regardless of how small the fire is, particularly until the actual extent is determined.  I don't doubt this happened, but it just isn't a major incident, but Walker always has crew and people who get freaked, and want to sue over anything, or get paid for reporting things.

Right, I'm sure they dispatched fire crews and closed decks briefly due to their protocols. I just don't think it was a major issue.