Fire on dive boat Conception in CA

[nolatom]

This is not meant to be a joke but who wants to sleep in close quarters with strangers who have accces to a battery powered circular saw. Going out on a boat is always going to present certain dangers, some of which are unavoidable. Some accidents or situations are going to be fatal- not so different than diving.

Thanks for your first sentence Johndiver, the first laugh, or even smile, I've had since getting involved in this thread and this sad topic.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Quite clearly, no useful smoke/fire alarms went off to alert anyone.

Unless the passengers had already died from carbon monoxide from the generator or any other gas not detected by a smoke detector.

 

[dmaziuk]

Firstly Grandfathering on Aircraft designs is no longer permitted for commercial designs - it stopped in the early 2000's (and the years leading up to that deadline were very profitable for design contractors)

(OT) I suspect the reference is to 737 Max that came out a bit after "early 2000s". You're citing air frame design perhaps?

 

[scubadada]

Unless the passengers had already died from carbon monoxide from the generator or any other gas not detected by a smoke detector.

But, nothing heard by the crew, awake on the bridge deck. I look forward to the preliminary report by the NTSB, which should include interviews with all of the remaining crew.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

While it's a reasonable assumption that a battery may have been the origin of initiation, perhaps igniting or setting off a small chain reactions on the charging table, teh battery fire while intense is quite short lived.

Really comes down to size of the packs and how many. There would be nothing small about it if something the size of lithium scooter battery cooked off. Most of the YouTube videos of LiPo's fire-balling are pretty small. And it can rage for quite a while when that chain reaction takes place. When my 02 tank blew, that fire was out really quick. But, it set-off the box of lipo batteries (all mostly small) that was in my truck. They raged on and off for about 7 minutes before the fire department got it put out.

Not saying this is what happened, but it can't be overstated enough that you don't charge LiPo batteries unattended. A lot of people won't charge Li-Ion unattended either, though I think there is a general consensus (at least in the R/C community) that Li-Ion are safer to turn your back on.

 

[BlueTrin]

Unless the passengers had already died from carbon monoxide from the generator or any other gas not detected by a smoke detector.

Shouldn’t the cabin crew on deck have heard the alarm if that was the case ?

 

[scubadada]

Shouldn’t the cabin crew on deck have heard the alarm if that was the case ?

I repeat, nothing heard by the crew, awake on the bridge deck. I look forward to the preliminary report by the NTSB, which should include interviews with all of the remaining crew.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Burning to death is the alternative. Which do you choose?

I would choose to have good smoke/heat alarms, safety measures on charging tables and wiring, and a well-thought out evacuation plan that doesn't involve using power tools in the dark or building the hull flimsy enough to easily cut through. The Channel Islands ain't Cozumel. On a small liveaboard (Second Stage), we got bashed around hard enough on the way to San Nic to bust open our freshwater tanks.

 

[chillyinCanada]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Battery discussions unrelated to Conception will go to a new thread. Any further postings regarding batteries will be deleted as not furthering the intended purpose of A&I

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General battery discussions may be found here:
https://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/tough-love-for-the-industrys-lithium-addiction.584226

 

[cerich]

Criminal investigation launched into the deadly fire aboard the Conception