NTSB Number NTSB/MAR-02/04
NTIS Number PB2002-916404
PDF Document(580K)

Executive Summary: On September 28, 2001, the domestic high-speed vessel¹ Seastreak New York was en route from Highlands, New Jersey, to New York, New York, with 198 passengers and 6 crewmembers on board. As the vessel passed Sandy Hook Point, New Jersey, about 0630, a fire broke out on the No. 3 engine in the starboard engineroom. Flames forced the deckhand who discovered the fire to flee the engineroom. Access hatches, ventilation, and fuel for the main engines in the starboard engineroom were secured. The fixed CO2 fire suppression system was then activated. The Seastreak New York proceeded to a nearby Coast Guard Station, using its port engines, and disembarked its passengers without incident. Local firefighters arrived on board at 0700. By 0730, a firefighter entered the engineroom and found that the fire had been extinguished by the CO2 suppression system. There were no personal injuries as a result of this fire, but the resultant damages were estimated at $81,000.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the fire on board the Seastreak New York was the improper installation of the Centinel System’s lube oil hose, which allowed the hose to come in contact with the hot exhaust manifold. Contributing to the cause of the fire was the absence of detailed guidance from the manufacturer of the Centinel System on the proper installation of the system. Also contributing to the cause of the fire was the lack of inspection and maintenance procedures by Circle Navigation Company that might have discovered the improper installation.

The major safety issues discussed in this report are the adequacy of the following:

• Manufacturer’s instructions for the installation of engine accessories;
• Crew firefighting response;
• Company maintenance and inspection procedures; and
• Passenger management.

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¹The Coast Guard defines vessels such as the Seastreak New York, which can attain speeds of 30 knots or more with a full complement of passengers, as domestic high-speed vessels. U.S. Coast Guard, Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 5-01, Guidance For Enhancing the Operational Safety of Domestic High-Speed Vessels (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Coast Guard, April 23, 2001).