Fire Safety

There seems to have been a spate of fires on boats recently, at least in Queensland.
Late last year 4 boats caught on fire whilst in port. In each case they were moored away from other vessels and the crews escaped unharmed.

In November a 9m steel boat burned to the waterline after a suspected electrical fault started the fire. The owner was on board and attempted unsuccessfully to control the fire and eventually escaped in his dinghy.

In December the owner of a yacht in Port Douglas was refueling when it is thought escaping fumes were ignited by the gas fridge. The man was seriously injured when he attempted to extinguish the fire. Fortunately a passerby in his dinghy pulled the man to safety.

Two other similar incidents occurred in Cairns and Airlie beach around the same time.

This week a trawler caught on fire off the Gold Coast. The two crew noticed smoke coming from a hatch. Their attempts to put the fire out were unsuccessful and they were forced to abandon ship by the thick smoke after sending a mayday call. They were picked up by the water police as their vessel continued to burn and then sink.

There are simple steps we can take to minimise fire risk onboard our boats.

• Regularly check fuel lines and connections for leaks

• Secure spare fuel in a safe place in an approved container

• Remove all sources of ignition and turn off the power when refuelling

• Wipe up any spillage and leaks immediately

• Store rags and any flammable materials in a sealed metal container

• Ensure adequate ventilation for engine, fuel and battery compartments

• Maintain the electrical system in good condition

• Only use approved marine gas stoves

• Turn off the gas at the cylinder after use

• Store gas cylinders in safe place.

• Have gas lines, stoves and cylinders checked regularly by an approved gas fitter.

• Do a Yachting Australia Safety and Sea Survival Course

• Install smoke detectors

• Install a gas detector

• Carry adequate fire fighting equipment

• Maintain fire extinguishers in good working order (shake dry powder extinguishers occasionally to keep the powder loose)

Please add a comment if you have any fire safety tips.