CHAPTER 28

PRINCIPLES OF FIRE FIGHTING ABOARD

SHIP
Fire at sea is a terrifying thought and a horrifying experience. The Master
and the crew have to fight the fire with the limited resources available on
board within the severely cramped spaces of the ship. Communication
between individuals scattered all over the ship is one of the biggest
difficulties.

1. On a ship on fire at sea:

1.1. The crew is at the location of the fire (the ship itself) at all times
with no place to back off even temporarily. While fighting a fire on
land, the fire fighters have the space and opportunity to move back
to a safe place, regroup and re-plan strategy.

1.2. Shore support is not available for firefighting.

1.3. It has been known in the past that some ports have refused
permission, for port entry, to ships that were on fire.

1.4. Taking persons off the ship is not easily feasible owing to
distance from the shore and/or bad weather.

1.5. The only consolation is that the human resource complement of

ship would be complete – the Master and the entire crew would be
on board, available to fight the fire.

2. While in port, if a fire occurs on board ship, support

available from the shore includes:

2.1. Assistance from the fire brigade – experienced manpower and

firefighting equipment.

2.2. Medical services of shore hospitals including ambulances with

stretchers and para-medics in attendance, helicopters, etc.

2.3. Transportation for evacuating personnel non-essential for

firefighting.

2.4. Catering services where ship’s resources are restricted by the

fire.

Assistance from the fire brigade:

3. Though the fire brigade would assist in many ways, the overall
responsibility for the safety of the ship rests with the Master.
4. The ship’s officers would have intimate knowledge of the ship – its
layout, ventilation system, firefighting equipment, pumping
arrangements, distribution and nature of cargo, stability, structural
strength, etc and also the nature of fire.

5. The port fire brigade would have several pumps, hoses, SCBA (Self
Contained Breathing Apparatus) sets, fireman’s suits, foam,
asbestos blankets, ladders, etc. When necessary, they can summon
more equipment and assistance from other fire stations in the city.

6. The most important asset of the fire brigade is its trained

manpower. Since the port fire brigade’s primary function is to fight
fires on ships, and other areas within the port, their personnel would
have a great amount of fire fighting experience. Their expert help, in
this case, is invaluable.

7. On the other hand, the number of actual fires experienced by

various members of the ship’s staff, during their career, would be
very few, sometimes none. Furthermore, the ship’s staff would be
handicapped by the fact that up to half the personnel may be away
on shore leave.

8. As soon as the fire brigade arrives alongside, the ship’s staff should
receive them and their chief introduced to the officer in charge of
the ship – Master or, if he is ashore, the Chief Officer.

9. The immediate information that the fire chief would require would
include:

9.1. Location of the fire.

9.2. The nature of the fire (what is the material that is on fire).
9.3. The extent of the fire.
9.4. Any special dangers that the fire fighters would be exposed to
such as toxic gas, chemicals, etc because of the various substances
that may be stowed inside the compartment on fire.
9.5. What firefighting action the ship’s staff has taken so far.
9.6. The Master’s opinion as to the best line of action to be taken
by both, the ship’s staff and the fire brigade, in extinguishing the
fire.

10. The fire chief would then make his suggestions to the Master
of the ship. The two would then decide on the plan of action and
execute it.

11. Hopefully, there should not be any major difference of opinion

because the aim of both is to fight the fire effectively, safely and
with least damage to the ship, its cargo and the port.
12. The two chiefs would then monitor the progress of firefighting.

13. The overall charge would be with the ship but instructions to
the personnel would have to be given by their respective chiefs.

14. Some problems of shipboard fire whilst in port:

14.1. The Master and/or some senior officers may be ashore.

14.2. Half the crew may be on shore leave.
14.3. Cargo operations may be in progress.
14.4. The presence of many outsiders on board carrying out routine
operations.
14.5. Possible clash of interest between the ship and the port on the
course of action to be taken.

For the Master: Own ship’s safety and financial implications are
most important.

For the port authorities: The safety of the port is paramount;

everything else is incidental.

14.6. Possible adverse media coverage.

14.7. Hindrance by newspaper reporters. (They should not be

allowed on board during fire fighting operations. Even thereafter,
only a designated person on board should meet them. Innocuous
statements made in good faith may have adverse effects on P & I
and insurance claims later on).

15. Some common causes of shipboard fires:

15.1. Faulty electrical appliances/circuitry.

15.2. Electrical overload.
15.3. Careless disposal of cigarette ends.
15.4. Carelessness with hand pressing irons.
15.5. Incorrect methods of drying laundry.
15.6. Overheating of cooking oils in the galley.
15.7. Spontaneous combustion – oily rags, etc.
15.8. Ignition of combustible vapour by a spark or cigarette, as in
paint lockers, etc.

16. Management of fire fighting operations

Management of fire fighting operations is distinct from actual fire

fighting actions. The former requires not only thorough knowledge of
fire fighting but also of many other aspects that include:
 16.1. The fire fighting medium to employ.
16.2. The equipment to use.
16.3. Human resource deployment.
16.4. Internal communication methods to use:

16.4.1. Fire Alarm (always, without doubt).

16.4.2. Public Address System (PAS).
16.4.3. Loud hailer.
16.4.4. Intercom (internal telephone).
16.4.5. Hand held VHF sets.
16.4.6. Word of mouth.

16.5. First aid to crew members injured, if any.

16.6. External communication:

16.6.1. Type of communication – urgency signal, medical

advice, messages, etc.

16.6.2. The necessary recipients – owner, charterer, ship

reporting systems, others.

16.7. Record of all significant/important communications and

decisions (some of them may not normally be recorded in
the Bridge Notebook).

16.8. Evaluation of actions taken already and their

effectiveness/results.

16.9. Evaluation of possible future courses of action regarding:

16.9.1. Fire fighting.

16.9.2. Safety of crew.
16.9.3. Stability of the ship.
16.9.4. Stresses on ship’s structure.
16.9.5. Possibility of, and the minimisation of,
environmental pollution.
16.9.6. External assistance.
16.9.7. Destination or port of refuge or beaching.
16.9.8. Legal implications.
16.9.9. Financial responsibilities.

17. The responsibilities of management of fire on board ship

weigh heavily on the Master. Hence leadership qualities, which
include team spirit, ability to inspire confidence in others, personal
communication, motivation, enforcement of discipline, etc, are
essential.
18. Support by an efficient shipboard team, the members of which
are well aware of the responsibilities of management of fire on
board, is most essential.

19. Though final decisions are the responsibility of the Master, it is

the ability of the shipboard team that helps him make them.

20. General procedure of fighting shipboard fires:

20.1. Sound the fire alarm.

20.2. If in port:
20.2.1. Inform the port fire brigade.
20.2.2. Get all shore persons off the ship.

20.3. Restrict ventilation.

20.4. In the case of burning liquids, shut off further supply, if

possible.

20.5. Remove any flammable material close by.

20.6. Fight the fire by all available appropriate means.

20.7. Effect boundary cooling if necessary and practicable.

20.8. If at sea, send Urgency Signal.

20.9. Keep a record of all events and their timings.

20.10. Make appropriate log entries later on.

20.11. Render first aid to those injured, if any.

20.12. Assess effectiveness of fire fighting already carried out.

20.13. Maintain fire vigil on that space for the next twenty four
hours to check for re-flash.

20.14. Proceed to destination or to a port of refuge as

appropriate.

20.15. Cancel or downgrade Urgency Signal sent out earlier, as

appropriate.

20.16. Consider replenishment of fire fighting equipment at next

convenient port.

20.17. Inform owners/charterers after suitable action has been

taken.

21. Explanatory notes on the foregoing actions

 21.1. Why send Urgency Signal:

The Urgency Signal lets other ships in the vicinity know that
the ship originating the signal is on fire and, should no further
messages be transmitted by that ship, search and rescue
could commence from the position indicated in the Urgency
Signal. It is important that the Urgency Signal be sent out as
soon as practicable, and updated later on as appropriate. In
case there is an explosion or other sudden setback, it may not
be possible to send messages thereafter – hence the
importance of sending an Urgency Signal as soon as
practicable.

Details of such messages are covered in GMDSS courses.

21.2. Log entries:

Entries in the Logbook are of great legal significance and

hence should be made with care (see chapter 36 for more
details).

22. Fire fighting media:

The subject of fire fighting is amply covered by the two levels of IMO
Model Courses prescribed

for seafarers – Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF) Courses and
Advanced Fire Fighting (AFF) Courses. Adequate practical exercises
are also included in these courses. However, for emphasis, some
points are repeated here.

The various media available for fighting fire on board a ship, and
their properties, are:

23. Water

23.1. Method of extinction of fire: Cooling.

23.2. Availability: Inexhaustible supply from the sea. Hence is

generally the best method.

23.3. Effectiveness: Very effective in most cases (see under

‘application’ below). Very effective for boundary cooling in
the case of all fires.
 23.4. Not for fires involving:

23.4.1. Electrical and electronic equipment. Possibility of

electric shock if power is not switched off. Equipment
tends to get damaged beyond repair due to corrosive
effect of salt water.

23.4.2. Low Flash Point liquids. It is not possible for the cooling
effect of water to reduce the temperature of the surface
of the burning liquid to below its flash point. Hence
water is not only ineffective in such cases but would
possibly add to the danger. Water, being denser than the
burning liquid, would sink and may raise the level
enough to overflow to other spaces.

23.4.3. Certain chemicals. Some chemicals react adversely

with water. On contact with water, some give off
oxygen that would intensify the fire. Others give off
large quantities of heat (exothermic reactions) which
may result in spontaneous combustion or intensify the
fire already existent.

23.5. Application: Jet or spray

23.5.1. A water jet has a long reach such that the persons
handling the fire hose may stay well back from the heat
of the fire. However, it should not be used on the surface
of burning liquids as it would cause splashing and
consequent spread of fire.

23.5.2. Water spray consists of millions of small droplets of

water. Since the total surface area of all the droplets is
enormous, the ability to absorb heat is high – cooling
effect is considerable. Latent heat of vaporisation also
causes further cooling. Water spray is thus very effective:

[Link]. For boundary cooling.

[Link]. For forming a protective shield to cool persons

handling a fire hose near the fire.

[Link]. On the surface of High Flash Point liquids. All oils

in the Engine Room – Fuel oil, Diesel oil, High-
speed Diesel oil, etc – are High Flash Point oils.
Water spray is very effective on their surfaces, if
on fire.

23.6. Disadvantages:
 23.6.1. Excessive use of water may result in stability problems
(free surface effect, loss of GM, list, adverse trim, etc) and
severe structural stresses.

23.6.2. Water damage caused to general cargo or equipment

not actually on fire may result in enormous
claims/expenses. Such loss may sometimes be avoided
by using some other suitable medium of fire extinction.

23.6.3. Water, being denser than the burning liquid, would sink
and may raise the level enough to overflow to other
spaces.

24. Foam

24.1. Method of extinction of fire: Smothering.

24.2. Availability: Limited supply.

24.3. Effectiveness:

24. Foam

24.3. Effectiveness:

24.3.1. Very effective on the surface of burning liquids.

24.3.2. Foam remains stable even at very high temperatures.
24.3.3. Foam is lighter than all liquids. It will remain on top,
effectively smothering the fire and preventing rekindling.
24.3.4. If supply of foam runs out when only a part of the surface of
burning liquid has been covered, then that part will remain safe from
rekindling.
24.4. Not for fires involving:

24.4.1. Electrical and electronic equipment. Possibility of electric

shock if power is not switched off. Equipment tends to get
damaged beyond repair due to corrosive effect of foam which is
salt-water based.

24.4.2. Certain chemicals. Foam is salt-water based. Some

chemicals react adversely with water. On contact with water,
some give off oxygen that would intensify the fire. Others give
off large quantities of heat (exothermic reactions) which may
result in spontaneous combustion or intensify the fire already
existent.

24.5. Application:
 24.5.1. The jet of foam should be directed against some obstruction
above the burning liquid so as to take off its velocity. It would then slide on
to the surface of the liquid.

24.5.2. Foam will find its own level on the surface of liquid and flow
around obstructions. Hence continuous application on any part of the
surface would do.

24.6. Disadvantages:

24.6.1. Even a small quantity of water spray, on top of foam, disintegrates

it – “kills the foam” – and renders it totally ineffective as a smothering
agent.

24.6.2. Being water based, foam could cause water damage to general
cargo and/or equipment if it is sprayed on it.

25. Dry powder

25.1. Method of extinction of fire: Smothering.

25.2. Availability: Very limited supply. Only a few kilograms in each

extinguisher.

25.3. Effectiveness:
Very effective on electrical equipment because it has no water content.

25.4. Not for fires involving:

Electronic equipment: Electronic equipment tends to get damaged

beyond repair. After the fire is extinguished, the PCBs cannot get clean
enough for use again due to the sticky nature and corrosive effect of the
powder.

25.5. Application:
Available only in extinguisher form.

25.6. Disadvantages:
A dry powder extinguisher is one shot weapon with very few seconds of
effective use. During these few seconds, the powder must be directed
correctly against the burning electrical equipment, after the power has
been switched off.

26. Carbon-di-oxide gas (CO₂)

26.1. Method of extinction of fire: Smothering.

26.2. Availability: Limited supply in extinguishers or in steel cylinders.

26.3. Effectiveness:
26.3.1. It is free of water content. It is a very clean firefighting medium. It
does not cause any damage to cargo or equipment.

26.3.2. Very effective on all kinds of fire, especially in enclosed spaces.

26.3.3. Because it is stored and then released from a compressed form, its
subsequent expansion results in a fair amount of cooling.

26.3.4. Because it is about 1.5 times heavier than air, it is released from
the top of a compartment. It then descends to the bottom and remains
there, effectively smothering the fire.

26.3.5. In cargo holds containing cotton or jute bales, injection of CO₂ into
the hold may not extinguish the fire because there is air trapped within
the bales. Injection of CO₂ would, however, prevent a smouldering fire in a
few bales from developing into a conflagration.

26.4. Not for fires involving:

Effective on all kinds of fire. Only limitation is the quantity available.

26.5. Application:
Available in extinguisher form or as a total flooding system.

26.5.1. A CO₂ extinguisher is very effective on electrical & electronic

equipment on fire.

26.5.2. Total flooding system consists of CO₂ gas compressed until it is

in liquid state and then carried in steel cylinders.

26.5.3. As a total flooding system, it is very effective against fires in the

engine room, pump room (of tankers) and cargo holds.

26.6. Disadvantages:

26.6.1. Available in limited quantity only.

26.6.2. A CO₂ extinguisher is one shot weapon with very few seconds of
effective use. During these few seconds, the jet of CO₂ gas must be
directed correctly against the burning electrical or electronic equipment,
after the power has been switched off.

26.6.3. Being a one-shot weapon, the compartment must be totally sealed

off, ventilation-wise, before injection of CO₂ by way of a total flooding
system. Otherwise, the escape of CO₂ from the compartment, or entry of
air into the compartment, may defeat the very purpose of injection of CO₂.

26.6.4. Necessity to evacuate personnel, and take a head count, before

injection into a compartment by a total flooding system