Citation

Dong W, Ni Z, Tu X. Am. J. Traffic Transp. Eng. 2023; 8(1): 15-20.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Science Publishing Group)

DOI

10.11648/j.ajtte.20230801.13

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article firstly introduces the characteristics of fire on board ships, which includes "more of ignition sources, flammable and explosive materials, fire spread quickly on board, hard to be extinguished, lack of external assistance, large losses and hazards" ; and secondly takes the fire accident of M. V. Zhonghuafuqiang as an example, elaborating the whole fire extinguishing process of the ship including the discovery of the fire, the initial emergency extinguishing of the fire, closing the fire compartment and releasing CO₂ to extinguish the fire , returning to the port of departure for berthing, transferring the command authority from the master to the shore-based fire department, the explosion causing by the opening of the fire compartment by the shore department, and the severe damage of the ship. Third, this article points out that its firefighting mistakes include the loss of the master's command authority, wrong firefighting procedures and improper use of fire extinguishing agent; then analyzes that the reasons are unclear responsibility and authority between ship and shore, unfamiliarity of the shore-based support department with firefighting procedures and the existence of inapparent dangerous cargo. Finally, this article proposes countermeasures against such mistakes, including clarifying and guaranteeing the command authority of the master, improving the familiarity of the shore-based firefighting support department with firefighting procedures on board, and strengthening the management of inapparent dangerous cargo, etc.

Language: en