Cruise Ship Explosion In Maine Burns Crew Member, Passengers Evacuated

Per the officials, an employee of the cruise vessel suffered burns in a generator fire that apparently broke out after an explosion on the vessel early on Wednesday morning. The vessel — American Ocean Navigator — had been docked at a pier based in Portland, Maine, when the accident occurred, leaving the individual with severe injuries and launching a thorough investigation into the real cause.

Firefighters associated with the Portland Fire Department sent out a response before 7:30 a.m. (per EDT) on Wednesday to the reports of smoke in Ocean Navigator’s engine room, a visiting cruise vessel, the city of Portland mentioned in a press release. The fire department further received reports that indicated that an explosion could have broken out in the engine room and suggested that it could be related to a generator on the vessel.

Fire officials received the word before reaching the scene that a member belonging to the Navigator crew had been burned. They reportedly treated the injured crew member who suffered burns before arranging for transport to a nearby hospital, Portland officials mentioned. The crew member was severely injured, but these injuries weren’t considered life-threatening.

The Queen Voyages’ vessel had 128 guests, most of whom were sightseeing on Wednesday, besides 82 crew members, per the U.S. Coast Guard and Portland officials. Both mentioned that the crew member who had suffered burns was the only injured individual in the fire.

The guests and remaining members of the Ocean Navigator’s crew were accounted for. Passengers are being housed at a hotel, per the city.

The Coast Guard’s prevention and response team promptly reported to the spot. The ATF, Maine State Fire Investigator, Maine State Fire Marshall, Portland Fire Department, and Customs and Border Patrol, a Coast Guard spokesperson mentioned in a statement to CBS News on Wednesday.

The statement further noted that the fire broke out on a generator in the vessel’s engine room. It added that the cause behind the fire was under examination. The Coast Guard had been working to determine if the Ocean Navigator could continue being “seaworthy” as crew members ventilated it after the fact, CBS affiliate WGME reported.

More crew members were able to stabilize the engine room issues and remained on the spot to aid with extensive ventilation efforts and complete the overhaul to prevent further issues, mentioned the city of Portland on Wednesday.

References: Boston Globe, CBS News

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Source: Maritime Shipping News