The fire broke out in the auxiliary engine room during departure from Hull. FINNMASTER lost power, but the fire was later extinguished and the vessel safely re-berthed with the assistance of tugs. The auxiliary engine room was significantly damaged but there were no injuries.

The fire started after mechanical failures on one of the auxiliary engines allowed fuel to leak from a flexible hose onto a hot surface where it ignited. The flexible hose was installed in the fuel system during an unapproved modification and did not meet the required standard.

A fault in FINNMASTER’s emergency generator circuit breaker prevented it from supplying power to the emergency systems on board. The fixed carbon dioxide fire-extinguishing system failed to fully operate due to defects in the system. The report therefor points out that the crew’s response, affected by the loss of critical safety systems, was ineffective. MAIB has subsequently issued 12 recommendations to Finnlines and the class society Rina.

© Shippax