Mistake by bridge crew made cruise ship fire worse, says Splendor report

Human error by a crewmember on the bridge has been blamed for the severity of the fire that crippled cruise ship Carnival Splendor.
A 15-minute delay in activating an extinguishing system allowed the blaze, in November 2010, to spread to overhead cables, disabling power throughout the ship.
The vessel, with 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew aboard, was left without lighting and functioning toilets in the Pacific for three days before being towed into San Diego.
The report, by US Coast Guard, says a member of the bridge crew reset the fire alarm and water mist fire suppression system instead of turning it on. The USCG also criticized the ship’s firefighting teams for not being familiar with the engine room layout.
Design flaws on the Splendor and other ships built by Fincantieri in Italy – including Carnival Dream, Magic and Breeze – also contributed to the fact that the fire knocked out power to the whole ship, says the report.
Carnival Cruise Line has already announced a £200 million investment to enhance emergency power capabilities throughout its fleet and has introduced stringent training programmes for crew.
The fire caused no injuries, but passengers were left without lighting, working toilets and air conditioning for three days. Emergency food supplies were flown in by the US Navy.
Carnival Cruise Line says has made a number of changes to its procedures since the fire.
“We agree with the U.S. Coast Guard’s conclusions surrounding fire detection and firefighting processes. We have taken numerous actions throughout our fleet as a result, including the creation of a Fire Safety Task Force,” it said in a statement.
“These actions directly contributed to the rapid detection and suppression of the fire on Carnival Triumph in February of 2013.”