VIDEO: Fire on Norwegian Cruise Ship Kills 2 Crewmembers

A fire in a Norweigan cruise ship's engine room killed two crewmen Thursday, injured nine others and forced the evacuation of 207 passengers. 

The MS Nordlys, of Norway’s Hurtigruten line was off Norway’s western coast when, according to police, an explosion caused the engine room to quickly catch fire.
The vessel has been towed to dock at Aalesund, 230 miles northwest of Oslo. Local police have had to seal of part of the city as thick smoke engulfed the surrounding area and buildings.

Emergency evacuations were conducted onboard at 9 a.m., immediately after the fire began. More than 100 passengers boarded life boats, while the remaining passengers and 55 crewmembers were evacuated at the dock in Aalesund. 

Nine passengers were admitted to Aalesund Hospital, two suffered serious burns and smoke inhalation. Officials say the dead and injured were crewmembers and that no passengers had been harmed.

It took firefighters six hours to gain control of the fire. The vessel is taking on water and is now listing at 10 degrees.

MS Nordly was built by Volkswerft GmbH in Stralsund, Germany in 1994 for Troms Fylkes. In 2006 Hurtigruten line purchased the vessel. The MS Nordly sails Norway’s western coast between Bergen and Kirkenes. 

Update (9/16/11 at 11:14 EST): On Friday crews were working to remove water from the ship and a floating crane was put in place to stabalize the vessel from tilting dangerously to its side.