What is SHIP ENGINE FIRE OUTBREAKS?
I know that the question you are asking yourself is, how do ships even become in flames.
Well, of course, ships can become in flames because it still uses an engine.
And if there is an engine, there is a combustible fuel and so fires are not an impossibility.
But in this post, we explain how these fires are managed to prevent excess damage to the vessel and its contents.
Let’s begin!
The first section manages the basic reasons for fires in the engine room.
BASIC REASONS FOR SHIPBOARD FIRES
The reasons for engine room fires can generally be traced back to an absence of maintenance or terrible watchkeeping.
They are typically brought about by fuel spills, overheating parts, or reckless utilization of electric welding or gas brazing gear.
OIL SPILLS
It is basic to battle the danger of engine room fires by maintaining the fuel and lube oil systems.
More so, on diesel motorboats than steam turbines.
There should be consistent cautiousness against spilling oil of any sort.
Pipes and unions are particularly vulnerable.
ENGINE ROOM HOUSEKEEPING
The engine room ought to be kept spotless and clean liberated from inflammable materials.
These materials for example are wooden boxes, cardboard boxes, oily rags, and paper.
Any oil spill should be tidied up promptly and the source investigated, fixed, and logged.
REPAIRS
The maintenance of segments by welding and brazing is a basic practice in ships’ engine rooms.
Anyway, both are potential fire perils because of the electric-arcing of the welding rod and the open fire on the brazing torch tip.
There is likewise, the extra risk when welding where the resulting molten metal can tumble down through a few floors into the bilges.
A fire watcher ought to be utilized to watch out during the procedures with a set of extinguishers to hand.
ENGINE ROOM FIRE FIGHTING HARDWARE
ENGINE ROOM SPRINKLER SYSTEM
This is of the more present-day kind of water nozzles.
It supplies a fine fog as opposed to a flow of water.
The sprinkler system can be worked naturally by sensors or physically by the engineer.
we as a whole, realize water isn’t ordinarily utilized on oil fires.
But, since the fine mist is infused into the space it keeps the fire from oxygen as well as disseminates the smoke.
ENGINE ROOM FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
There are four fundamental sorts of fire extinguishers, all painted red these days.
They have an alternate shaded band around the highest point of the body indicating the sort of medium it contains.
They are worked by removing the defensive pin prior to pulling the trigger smartly.
Fire extinguishers are normally put away in a holder together as demonstrated below in a gathering of four.
The four kinds are;
Dry powder fire extinguisher
Foam fire extinguisher
water fire extinguisher
co2 fire extinguisher
Recall, that just the dry powder and CO2 extinguisher ought to be utilized on electrical fires.
FIRE HYDRANTS AND HOSES
These are situated all through the engine room.
A fire hatchet is at times close by the fire hoses.
The hydrant valves ought to be opened hoses run out and released to the bilges at regular intervals to guarantee activity.
AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAM
“AFFF” is provided in its own compartments and added to an AFFF storage tank and is worked by compressed seawater.
The seawater blends in with the specialist fluid and exits the 11/2 elastic hose through a metal about as a compressed film of thick viscous foam.
This is directed to the foundation of the fire rapidly smothering the blazes, scattering the heat, smoke, and fumes.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
The two fundamental drivers of engine room fires are scavenge fires and crankcase explosions.
Happening on the main diesel engine, both can be recognized and forestalled whenever found early enough.
The scavenge fire is identified by high fumes temperature, paint stripping of the scavenge door or the mate calling down to inform the crew regarding dark smoke and sparks emanating from the pipe.
The substantially more serious crankcase explosion is brought about by the development of lube-oil mist inside the crankcase.
This triggers the oil-mist detector and the alarm will sound giving the engineer sufficient opportunity to slow the engine permitting it cool.
Both the above dangers have comparative fire control strategies.
Infusion of co2 or water fog into the scavenge space and infusion of co2 into the crankcase.
The inspection doors should stay shut until the pertinent segments and spaces have cooled off.
FIREFIGHTING TEAM AND GEAR
This is a devoted group with a group chief in control who goes to regular courses when on leave.
The group is typically made up of individuals from the crew, engine room, and deck officials.
They practice fire drill, evacuation, and rescue tasks routinely on the deck accommodation and engine room areas.
BREATHING APPARATUS SET
The ‘BA’ set comprises an oxygen tank that is tied to the firefighter’s back providing a full face mask with oxygen.
INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION
This comprises baggy fire-retardant garments, fire retardant boots, and a yellow fireman’s safety helmet.
The group leader, has a red band around his cap.
CONCLUSION
Although, you won’t normally spot fire incidents when on a nice cruise on a beautiful ship but they do occur.
But, you can be rest assured knowing that a lot of precautions have been put in place to fight against any mishaps.
