Fire Investigation, Reporting and Post-Fire Safety Precautions
Investigation and post-fire safety are examined as much for procedure as for cause: preserve, record, report, then make the space safe.
Preserving the scene
Do not disturb, clean or move anything before photographs and notes are taken. Identify the seat of the fire, the ignition source, the first material ignited and the path of spread. Look for electrical arcing, hot work evidence, discarded smoking material, failed equipment and human factors such as fatigue or skipped permits. Record statements and keep a chain of custody for items removed.
Reporting
The master reports to the company and to the flag administration (NIMASA), the port state where relevant, the classification society and the insurer. Statutory casualty reporting applies, with MARPOL reporting where there is pollution. Near misses go through the internal reporting system.
Post-fire safety
Maintain a re-flash watch and boundary cooling, test the atmosphere (oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons) before entry, keep electrical isolation, check structural and watertight integrity, and watch stability - firefighting water adds weight high up and creates free surface. Ventilate only when it is safe. Restock extinguishers and refill or replace BA cylinders.
Worked example
A small accommodation fire is put out with a water extinguisher. The extinguisher is set aside for inspection, photographs are taken of the burnt socket outlet, the circuit stays isolated, the atmosphere is checked before the cabin is reoccupied, and the incident is entered in the log and reported.
Traps
- Cleaning up before the investigation.
- Assuming the extinguisher or fixed system caused the damage rather than the fire.
- Re-entering without atmosphere testing.
- Forgetting stability after using large quantities of water.