Purifier Room Fire with a Missing Oiler

The priority is to stop the fuel source, close the space, account for personnel, and cool the boundary. The open door and running ventilation are feeding the fire and will make CO2 ineffective.

Sequence:

1. Raise the general alarm and inform the bridge. Stop the main engine if the fire threatens fuel or electrical systems, and keep the ship headed to minimize draft.
2. From outside the space, trip the purifier, stop the fuel oil transfer and booster pumps, and close the quick-closing valves on the fuel tanks serving the purifier.
3. Close the purifier room door and stop the ventilation. Shut the skylights and any other openings.
4. Muster the fire team in breathing apparatus. Use water fog or foam from outside the space if it is safe to do so; do not use a straight water jet on burning fuel because it can spread the fire.
5. Boundary-cool the surrounding bulkheads, especially the engine-room side and any accommodation boundary.
6. Account for all personnel. The missing oiler is the critical issue: do not release CO2 while someone may still be inside, unless the fire is uncontrollable and rescue is impossible.
7. If a rescue is attempted, it must be by a trained BA team with a charged hose and a designated outside attendant.

This is a judgement call with no risk-free option. CO2 will extinguish the fire but will also kill anyone inside. The decision must be made by the master and chief engineer, with the fire team leader's advice, and must be based on whether the space can be entered and searched safely.

First, try to establish the oiler's location and status. Check the workshop, adjacent spaces, and the muster list; use radio and direct calls. If there is a realistic chance the oiler is alive in the purifier room, a BA rescue team should attempt entry only if the fire can be controlled at the entrance and the team has a safe retreat. A second team should be ready outside.

If the fire is spreading, the boundary is heating, and entry is impossible, the master may have to order CO2 release to save the ship, accepting that the missing person cannot be rescued. Before release:

• confirm the space is closed and all openings are shut;
• account for all other personnel;
• ensure no one is in the space;
• warn everyone and sound the CO2 alarm;
• release according to the system instructions.

Do not delay closing the door for the sake of appearances: an open door makes the fire worse and may force an earlier CO2 release. Record the decision and the reasons.

After the fire is extinguished, keep the boundary cool and maintain a fire watch. Do not open the purifier room until it has cooled and the atmosphere has been tested for oxygen, carbon monoxide, and fuel vapour. If CO2 was released, ventilate only under controlled conditions and use BA for entry.

Recovery actions:

• Locate and recover the missing oiler; provide first aid and medical evacuation if needed.
• Secure the fuel system and inspect for leaks and fire damage.
• Check the purifier, steam pipe insulation, electrical equipment, and structural boundaries.
• Prevent oil pollution: contain firefighting water and oily residue, and do not pump it overboard.
• Restore power, ventilation, and machinery only after inspection.

Report the fire to the flag State, class, and company under the safety management system. Record the alarm times, actions, CO2 release, personnel status, and damage in the official log and accident report. The investigation should examine why the steam pipe was unlagged, why oil was allowed to leak onto a hot surface, why the door and ventilation were open, and whether the fixed CO2 boundary was properly maintained. Corrective actions should include insulation renewal, spill trays, drip alarms, fire drills for purifier-room fires, and a review of the CO2 release procedure.