Video: Indonesian Authorities Battle Stubborn Engine Room Fire
Fire authorities at the Tanjung Perak port on Surabaya in Indonesia reported they were able to bring a challenging engine room fire under control after about four hours on Monday morning, December 29. No one was injured, but the fire caused panic in the busy seaport after people began seeing heavy smoke coming from the interisland containership.
The vessel named Verizon (15,400 dwt) had arrived in the port on Sunday. Around 0500 local time on Monday, observers saw large plumes of smoke emerging from the vessel. At its peak, the fire department said 16 units were deployed to fight the difficult fire. It was challenging because it was deep within the hull having started in the engine room in the area of the generator.
Crews evacuated without incident all 22 crewmembers from the ship. They said the first efforts to access the fire were unsuccessful. They required heavy breathing apparatus to get into the lower levels of the ship.
The fire spread from the engine room to involve the paint room, a storage room, and the CO2 tank room according to the fire chief. He said it consumed 20 square meters of the interior, but they were able to prevent it from spreading to other areas of the vessel.
One concern was the fuel onboard. They said the ship had nine tons of fuel and two tons of black fuel in reserve. The fire consumed as much as 60 percent of the fuel they are reporting.
After about four hours they said the fire was under control but exterior cooling operations continued.
Built in 1995, the vessel was acquired in 2015 for interisland operations in Indonesia, including a feeder service for international container operations. It is 145 meters (475 feet) in length and operated by Salem Pacific Indonesia Lines.
Port officials said that they had been able to maintain most operations during the firefight. Operations at the Berlian Container Terminal resumed full operations at 0920, after the vessel was declared safe.
Fire teams are surveying the vessel and seeking to confirm the source of the fire. Local media is reporting the operator said it was likely an electrical short circuit in the engine room.