Crew cop it for fire’s spread
An investigation into the fire on a fishing trawler at Timaru’s port last year found it spread quickly because the automatic fire alarm did not trigger and crew did not immediately sound the alarm.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report into the fire that gutted about 50 per cent of the 70-metre Dong Won 701 over eight days from April 9, added that ‘‘delays in sounding the alarm, the inefficient mustering of available crew and a failure to follow good industry practice for fighting the fire allowed it to spread rapidly’’.
A cause of the fire – which cost Fire and Emergency $120,000 to fight – was not identified due to the intensity, duration and damage caused.
But the report, released yesterday, said the fire started near a rubbish bin next to the desk in the first engineer’s cabin and spread rapidly through the accommodation area.
Other findings were that the materials used in the construction of the ship’s accommodation spaces caught fire easily, there were deficiencies in the crew’s firefighting response and when they did discover the fire the firefighting response was inefficient and unco-ordinated.
The vessel’s owner, Dong Won New Zealand (DWNZ) said it ‘‘did not agree that there is a proper factual basis for saying that the crew were delayed in being alerted to the fire or that an opportunity was missed’’.
‘‘DWNZ procedure, as per common industry practice, is for the crew to attempt a first response and raise the alarm with Fenz. If the first response fails, the crew then evacuate the vessel and await Fenz.’’
TAIC also said the structural fire integrity of the Dong Won 701 – which remains moored in Timaru – although complying with the relevant maritime rule, did not meet contemporary standards, and this was also a factor in the speed and intensity with which the fire spread.
TAIC advised that safety systems and alarms should be regularly tested, an alarm should be used immediately if a fire is found, and all openings should be closed to reduce air flow and slow the spread of the fire.
DWNZ was told it should ensure all staff are trained in firefighting, it said.
DWNZ said it is not alone in operating older deep sea vessels which do not meet revised standards because those standards are constantly changing.
‘‘Owners of vessels are not required or expected to meet the new standards every time a rule changes,’’ a spokesperson said in an attachment to the report.
‘‘Rather they are encouraged to take a performance-based approach and take what practicable and reasonable steps they can to meet the intent of the new rule. Rules allow for this internationally right across shipping.’’
DWNZ said, unlike most New Zealand deep sea commercial fishing operators, they equip all crew with some firefighting training which it says is ‘‘well in excess of any regulatory compliance requirement’’.
However, the company said it had identified some firefighting challenges and since the fire had undertaken internal and third party reviews resulting in new corporate policies, procedures, standard operating instructions and training processes.