Fire on Board the Liberian Passenger Ship Ecstasy, Miami, Florida ...

Factual Information 45 Marine Accident Reportwas told that the Coast Guard was in radio communication with the Ecstasy and that thefire was reportedly under control. Based on area television coverage of the fire, an FDdivision chief later telephoned the Coast Guard to report that the fire did not appear to becontrolled and then went to the Coast Guard operations center to participate in the unifiedcommand operations. Once there, he contacted the Miami-Dade FD to join the unifiedcommand structure and to request shipboard firefighting resources.By 1930, the two fire departments had assembled and dispatched two strike teamson Coast Guard cutters to the Ecstasy. Strike team No. 1 consisted of Miami-Dade FDfirefighters 35 who were to assess the fire conditions and advise the unified commandwhether the Ecstasy should be allowed into port. Strike team No. 2 consisted of MiamiBeach FD firefighters and medical personnel who were to triage and treat the injured.Once on the Ecstasy, the strike team No. 1 leader conferred with the Coast Guardrepresentatives, the master, and Carnival Cruise Lines’ firefighting safety training directorabout the heat and smoke conditions, and all agreed that the ship could not return to portuntil the fire was confirmed out. They established a fire operations center in themarshaling area near the stern on deck No. 3 and developed an action plan tosystematically assess the fire area by searching all 10 decks in the aft section of the ship.While the strike team No. 1 leader remained at the marshaling area, the strike teammembers attempted to enact the plan to confirm the status of the fire but could not do sobecause of the heat and smoke conditions. The fire team members were then stationed atthe fire doors to monitor the affected areas and check for developing fires while thepassageways were ventilated, thereby dissipating some of the heat and smoke.After strike team No. 1 completed its assessment, the strike team leader briefed theCOTP, Carnival Cruise Lines representatives, and other personnel about the status of thefire. At his recommendation, the firefighters continued to ventilate the affected areas andselected teams continued to monitor conditions on decks No. 5, 6, and 8. The Miami-Dadehazardous materials team monitored the entire ship for transfer of carbon monoxide fromthe fire area. About 2109, the fire was declared extinguished.While the fire was being assessed, strike team No. 2 examined and treated at least70 patients and arranged transport for those requiring further medical treatment at areahospitals. Strike team No. 2 also established a rehabilitation area to examine the Ecstasycrew firefighters as they completed their firefighting operations. 36Emergency Preparedness Drills and ExercisesOn October 3, 1997, representatives from Carnival Cruise Lines, the Port ofMiami, the Biscayne Pilots, area emergency response agencies, and the Coast Guardparticipated in a marine firefighting table-top exercise that simulated a fire on board theEcstasy.35 Strike team No. 1 was a firefighting suppression team.36 The strike teams did not participate in any active firefighting. All shipboard firefighting efforts wereundertaken by Ecstasy crewmembers.