The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has published the Marine Accident Investigation Report regarding the ferry fire that occurred as the ferry approached its destination port. The fire, which started 6 miles from the shore, led to the burning of 14 out of 17 vehicles on board and caused damage to the deck and engine room. The report also mentions that the ferry was originally built as a fishing vessel, then extended to a length of 70 meters and converted into a ferry. The Transportation Safety Investigation Center emphasized that there were no casualties or environmental pollution and published a final report with findings and recommendations regarding the ferry fire.
In the report released by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure’s Transportation Safety Investigation Center, the following statements were made:
Ferry Fire Accident Investigation Report Findings and Recommendations
According to the investigation report on the ferry fire accident from the Transportation Safety Investigation Center:
The ferry was initially built as a fishing vessel, then its length was extended twice, reaching a total length of 70 meters, and converted into a ferry.
-While the ferry was sailing, it was exposed to significant waves on the starboard side, which caused the driver’s door of a commercial vehicle on the open deck on the starboard side to open, allowing seawater to enter the vehicle.
-The seawater entering the vehicle caused an electrical short circuit in the motor section, resulting in a fire due to the overheating electrical cables.
-The fire was first noticed by passengers, who attempted to intervene with portable fire extinguishers.
-During the loading of vehicles onto the ferry, the vehicles were not parked according to the national regulations regarding distance criteria, and due to the close parking of vehicles, effective intervention against the fire was not possible.
-The doors of the commercial vehicle where the fire started were not locked.
-During the fire, the water pressure from the hoses connected to the ferry’s main fire system was insufficient to extinguish the fire.
-The sprinklers, which are supposed to be powered by the main fire system on the ship, were insufficient, and some pipes in the system had leaks, causing a drop in pressure in the fire system.
-During the fire, one of the two fire pumps on board failed because the cables leading to the electrical panel melted due to lack of insulation in the engine room.
-The crew tried to intervene by supplying water to the main fire system, but they could not extinguish the fire on their own.
-The fire was brought under control with intense intervention from two tugboats from the port.
-The fire drills on board were conducted regularly every month according to the Safe Management System, but the fire drill scenarios were not planned effectively to raise awareness and familiarity among the crew.
-Although the number of crew members met the minimum safety certification requirements, it was deemed insufficient, especially regarding the number of deck crew, given the ferry’s passenger and cargo density and the duration and speed of the loading and unloading operations.
-During the fire, passengers were not informed about emergency procedures, leading to panic and confusion. Passengers took hasty actions to intervene with the fire, even risking themselves and the ship by going down to the vehicle deck.
-In this context, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure’s Transportation Safety Investigation Center has made the following recommendations:
-Increase inspections to ensure that after vehicles are loaded onto Ro-Ro and ferry-type ships, their doors are locked, lights are off, and the parking distances are compliant with regulations.
-In ships where fire pumps are required, include the minimum flow rate of the fire pump in the survey checklist and check whether the existing pump meets the required specifications.
-In Ro-Ro and ferry-type ships, ensure that the electrical cables used for fire pumps are of marine-type (marin) quality and provide heat-resistant insulation in the areas where cables pass, by adding this to the survey checklist for annual surveys.
-Increase the number of deck crew members for Ro-Ro and ferry-type ships operating in the port area according to the minimum safety certification requirements, and add a responsible officer for operations and cargo.
-For Ro-Ro, ferry, and day trip vessels, provide audio-visual information about emergency procedures, emergency gathering places, fire-fighting equipment, and other related procedures to passengers. Additionally, plan fire drills for different sections of the ship and use firefighting equipment in drills to raise crew awareness.
-Complete the missing sprinklers in the main fire system and replace the damaged pipes in the system.
