Small Craft News

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released an investigation report on the engine room fire aboard the towing vessel City of Cleveland on the Lower Mississippi River in February 2020. The investigation has identified that catastrophic engine failure caused fire along with crankcase breach of the port main engine.

On 26 February 2020, the towing vessel City of Cleveland was pushing 18 dry cargo barges (15 loaded and 3 empty) upbound on the Lower Mississippi River, approximately 15 miles south of Natchez, Mississippi, when the vessel experienced a main engine failure followed by an engine room fire. All nine crew members safely evacuated to the barges and were rescued by nearby Good Samaritan vessels, which worked to extinguish the fire. The City of Cleveland was later towed to the operator’s facility in Rosedale, Mississippi. There was no pollution or injuries. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $2 million.

Probable cause Continue reading “Engine failure caused fire on another towing vessel says NTSB report”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its investigation report on the fire and explosion which occured onboard the towing vessel Susan Lynn off Lousiana in October 2019. The investigation has identified a catastrophic engine failure as the key cause of the accident.

On 8 October 2019, at about 0600 local time, the Susan Lynn was docked and in layup status at Tom’s Marine & Salvage yard on the Barataria Waterway in Lafitte, Louisiana, when a fire started in the engine room. The vessel’s watchman could not contain the fire and evacuated the vessel. Local firefighters extinguished the fire. No pollution or injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $1,350,000.

Probable cause
The NTSB determines that the probable cause of the fire onboard the Susan Lynn was a catastrophic engine failure resulting in an oil reservoir breach and an ensuing fire Continue reading “Catastrophic engine failure aboard Susan Lynn led to fire and explosion reveals report”