Biggest Fires on Ships Ever Reported

The biggest fires on ships ever reported include catastrophic maritime disasters, which resulted in the loss of several lives and had a significant impact on safety regulations.

A few prominent incidents of onboard fires will be discussed in this article.

One such incident was onboard the passenger steamboat General Slocum, which caught fire on June 15, 1904, in New York’s East River, leading to the deaths of over 1000 people. The fire spread swiftly due to flammable materials and poor safety equipment. Several passengers, unable to swim, drowned as they jumped overboard in panic and fear.

This accident led to changes in U.S maritime safety regulations and led to demands for the placement of vessel fire safety inspections under the jurisdiction of the fire departments or other competent authority to ensure accountability.

Congress empowered the Steamboat Inspection Service to decide and enforce fire prevention and extinguishing features and to determine the amount and type of life-saving gear needed on each vessel.

Stricter requirements for the use of fire-resistant materials in ship construction were also implemented. Regular and proper crew training and mandatory fire and emergency drills were also introduced. Vessel safety inspections also became rigorous.

Passenger Liner SS Morro Castle caught fire on September 8, 1934, off the coast of New Jersey while en route from Havana to New York. 137 passengers and crew members perished as the fire spread due to design flaws, the presence of flammable material and inadequate crew response.

The incident led to amendments in the SOLAS Convention, and regulations were introduced requiring the use of fire-retardant materials in ship construction, replacing wood and lacquered finishes that contributed to the spread of fire.

Automatic fire doors became mandatory for containing fires, and ship-wide fire alarm systems were also made compulsory. They were to be fitted in all public areas onboard the ship, including the cabins, addressing the issue of muffled alarms on the Morro Castle.

The incident inspired the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which strengthened safety laws and influenced ship design.

A fire started at midnight, in the hairdressing salon of TSMS Lakonia, a Greek cruise ship, on December 22, 1963, likely due to faulty wiring.

It engulfed the ship as most passengers slept, and the alarms were inadequate, while the crew’s response was disorganised. 128 people lost their lives, including 53 who died from fire burns or injuries during evacuation. All lifeboats could not be launched, and a few turned.

Another significant ship fire incident was the Scandinavian Star fire, which was caused by arson during the ferry’s voyage from Oslo to Frederikshavn on April 7, 1990.

Though the investigation identified an arsonist who died in the fire, later findings revealed several fires ignited in different areas, creating doubts about the involvement of more than one person.

The fire began around 2 a.m. on deck 3 and spread to decks 4 and 5. Many crew members were not trained and were not able to communicate effectively with passengers due to language barriers.

Toxic fumes formed, and many died from inhaling excessive smoke and carbon monoxide poisoning rather than burns. The total death toll was 158.

After this incident, the 1992 SOLAS amendments mandated the installation of automatic sprinklers and smoke detection systems throughout passenger vessels, and having upgraded evacuation aids like fire-resistant bulkheads, non-combustible materials and low-location lighting.

A more recent incident unfolded on March 6, 2018, when the ultra-large container ship Maersk Honam caught fire in the Arabian Sea, killing 5 crew members.

The incident occurred when the ship was 900 nm west of India, en route from Singapore to the Suez Canal.

The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) of Singapore led the investigation. It was believed that the fire started among a block of 54 containers having 1000 tonnes of sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate (SDID), a powerful oxidiser used in disinfectants and pool chemicals.

SDID was classified as IMO Class 9 (miscellaneous dangerous goods) rather than the more stringent Class 5.1 (oxidising substances), despite its hazardous properties when stored in large quantities.

The investigation found that the decomposition of SDID, triggered by heat or contamination, could have generated enough heat to ignite a fire that grew out of control.

The crew’s initial response was hampered due to delays in sealing the cargo hold, which reduced the effectiveness of the CO₂ fire suppression system and allowed toxic smoke to enter the accommodation area.

The fire alarm was also not raised immediately, and some ventilator flaps could not be closed because of smoke and heat.

The fire continued to burn for many days, and the vessel was towed to the UAE for salvage.

After this incident, TSIB recommended the installation of additional temperature sensors in cargo holds and a review of SOLAS fire-fighting standards for container ships.

The Felicity Ace incident can also be counted among the biggest fires on ships ever recorded due to the aftermath.

On February 16, 2022, the Panama-flagged car carrier caught fire in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 90 nm southwest of the Azores. The vessel was en route from Emden, Germany, to Davisville, Rhode Island, USA.

The fire started in the cargo hold and engulfed the vessel, with flames seen about 5 m above the waterline.

Luckily, all 22 crew members safely left the ship and were rescued by the Portuguese Navy and local authorities.

The ship was carrying around 3,965 Volkswagen Group vehicles, including high-value brands like Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Volkswagen.

Though the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, there is a strong possibility that the lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles on board contributed to the fire.

Lawsuits alleged that a faulty battery in one of the electric vehicles may have started the fire.

Salvage teams were sent with firefighting tugs, but the fire lasted for a week, after which the ship sank on March 1, 2022, taking luxury cars and rare custom models with it to the ocean depths.

The total value of the lost cargo was estimated between $334 million and $500 million, with Porsche alone accounting for over $140 million.

This incident raised environmental concerns due to the potential release of pollutants from vehicles and batteries and highlighted the risks of shipping electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries.

The number of ship fire accidents is increasing, specifically on massive cargo ships and car carriers, due to factors like mis-declared dangerous goods, lithium-ion battery cargoes, and ageing fleets.

According to statistics, fire or explosions consistently rank among the top three causes of total vessel losses globally.

250 fire incidents were reported worldwide across all vessel types in 2024, marking a 20% increase year-on-year and the highest annual total for the past decade.

30% of these fires occurred on container ships, cargo vessels, or roll-on/roll-off vessels.

You might also like to read-

• Real Life Accident: Hot Work Leads To Fire in the Ship’s Cargo Hold
• 3 Passenger Ships Disasters that Shook the Maritime World
• 10 Biggest Disasters at Sea Of All Time

Related Posts

The World’s Largest Battery-Electric Ship

China’s Dolphin-Skin Like Marine Bionic Propeller Reduces Emissions & Fuel Consumption

World’s First Solar Powered Inland Ship Using Solar Energy For Onboard Systems & Propulsion

U.S Navy’s Latest 5 ft Robotic ‘Ghost Swimmer’ Shark

About Author

Zahra is an SEO-Strategist & a Technical Writer with over 5 years of experience crafting top-tier content for the shipping world. From news, articles, ebooks, blogs and marketing pieces to industry white papers, she has written it all and now brings that experience to her role as Senior Editor. She makes complex maritime stories clear, sharp, and engaging.

Read More Articles By This Author >

Related Articles

The National Maritime Centre: Providing Quality with Utility

Subsea Drilling: The What, Why and How

The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) Exams and What they Mean to an Average Shippy