“The Caribbean Fantasy had been detained 3 times in the years immediately before the fire, yet no red flags went up,” commented NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt

The National Transportation Safety Board has actually established that the fire aboard the roll-on/roll-off vehicle and also traveler ferryboat Caribbean Fantasy was brought on by dripping gas that spoke to a warm surface area in the ship’s engine area.

The fire took place on August 17, 2016, as the ferryboat was underway off San Juan, Puerto Rico with greater than 500 individuals aboard. The Master offered the order to desert ship, triggering a significant search and also rescue procedure.

The potential reason was established throughout an NTSB conference on the case on Tuesday.

Contributing to the fire’s fast spread were quick-closing shutoffs for gas and also lube oil that were purposefully obstructed open, according to the examination. The NTSB additionally discovered that taken care of firefighting systems and also an architectural fire border fell short.

Also adding to the fire and also a succeeding long term desertion initiative was Baja Ferries’ inadequate safety and security society and also inadequate execution of its safety and security administration system aboard the Caribbean Fantasy, the NTSB discovered.

Adding to the extent of the fire was the failing of the Panama Maritime Authority and also the identified company, RINA Services, to make sure the safety and security administration system was practical.

See Also: Caribbean Fantasy Fire Damage Photos

The fire began generally engine area of the 614-foot lengthy, Panamanian- flagged vessel, when gas splashing from a dripping flange spoke to the warm surface area of the port major engine. The fire might not be had, and also the master bought desert ship.

The fire shed for 3 days while the vessel, utilized for ferryboat solution in between Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and also San Juan and also Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, wandered and also ultimately based near the port ofSan Juan The fire was snuffed out by shore-based firemens after the Caribbean Fantasy was lugged right into the harbor.

All 511 guests and also team aboard were saved and also 45 individuals were dealt with for non-life-threatening injuries consisting of knee, ankle joint and also leg injuries, fainting, breathing problems and also various other problems. Only 6 injuries– ankle joint injuries sustained while moving down the aquatic discharge system– were taken into consideration significant.

The crash caused an approximated $20 million in damages and also the Caribbean Fantasy was at some point ditched instead of repair services.

As an outcome of the examination, the NTSB released safety and security referrals to the to the UNITED STATE Coast Guard, Baja Ferries S.A. de C.V., RINA Services S.p.A, the International Association of Classification Societies, and also the Panama Maritime Authority.

The referrals attend to equipment upkeep techniques, gas and also lube oil quick-closing shutoffs, fire defense, team training on and also knowledge with emergency situation systems and also treatments, execution of the business’s safety and security administration system, and also oversight by Panama.

“The recommendations that we issued today, if acted upon, will improve marine safety,” stated NTSB Chairman Robert L.Sumwalt “I urge the recipients to act on these recommendations so that this fortunately non-fatal fire is not remembered as the dress rehearsal for a future tragedy.”

The run-through, searchings for and also all referrals connected to the crash are readily available online at https://goo.gl/4azkER

The complete record will certainly be readily available in a couple of weeks on the NTSB website.