Improperly Extinguished Canister Causes Fire Onboard Passenger Vessel

A fire caused by an improperly extinguished chafing fuel canister resulted in $3.1 million in damages to the Spirit of Boston passenger vessel, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The incident happened on March 24, 2023, while the vessel was docked at Commonwealth Pier in Boston Harbor.

The fire began on the first deck of the vessel in a wait station area after hospitality staff accidentally dropped a heating canister under a plastic glassware cart.

The passengers had already left the ship, and none of the service staff onboard at the time were injured.

The investigation done by NTSB revealed that all marine crewmembers had left the vessel before the fire started. Without a trained marine crewmember present, the hospitality staff could not execute the vessel’s emergency response plan.

The report said that the fire could have likely been contained if a marine crewmember had been onboard.

The NTSB criticised City Cruises US, the operator of the Spirit of Boston, for relying on verbal instructions instead of documented procedures for handling open-flame devices like heating canisters.

Investigators found that the hospitality staff did not always follow the proper practices for extinguishing the canisters as instructed or as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.

The NTSB issued several recommendations to improve safety:

Require Marine Crew Presence– At least one marine crewmember should remain onboard until all non-crew personnel have left the vessel.

Documented Safety Procedures- City Cruises US should develop written procedures for handling open-flame devices on its vessels.

Implementation of Safety Management System (SMS)- City Cruises US should adopt a comprehensive SMS across its fleet. This system would cover critical safety practices, including emergency response protocols and proper equipment handling.

The NTSB also reiterated its earlier recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard to mandate SMS for all U.S.-flagged passenger vessels.

Although Congress granted the Coast Guard the authority to enforce SMS in 2010, little progress has been made, with discussion stalling since 2021.

Additionally, the NTSB has urged the Passenger Vessel Association to inform its members about the accident and tell them the importance of marine crew presence, proper handling of open-flame devices, and the implementation of SMS to enhance safety across the industry.

Reference: NTSB

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