Deck 4 Fire Onboard Epic May 4
Saint Nazaire
Fire the ship in St. Nazaire malice is not excluded
A few hours after the fire that damaged the ship Norwegian Epic last night in Saint-Nazaire, many questions arise about the origin of the claim. Reportedly, the fire started in mattresses stored in a corridor before installation in the cabins.
A worker on board indicates that there was “no hot zone and no work was done in this place.” Single cigarette butt thrown carelessly or malicious act? “No hypothesis is preferred, it is at the stage of speculation,” said the prosecutor of St. Nazaire, Florence Lecoq. A forensic scientist must make an analysis today of the place of departure of the fire.
It was a little over 23 hours Monday when the alert was given. The fire had apparently smoldered before burning it to a room on Deck 4. Violent flames and the fear of spreading required the intervention of fifty firefighters from St. Nazaire, but also the cell fire ship Saint-Herblain. The 265 employees who worked at night on board were evacuated. Firefighters managed to prevent the passage of fire in the upper and lower decks, but the damage is significant. They particularly affect the structure of bridges and wiring. This morning, the direction of STX sites indicated that the fire “will not call into question the timing of delivery.” The ship is the end of construction and must be delivered to its owner NCL America next June 15.
“Apart from the fire zone (4 rear deck, under the kitchen), work has resumed normally this morning on board,” said Eric Breux, communications director STX.
On March 26, the same ship had already suffered a great damage to the engine. One of six diesel engines that provide propulsion, had passed away. It is being replaced.
The Norwegian Epic largest cruise ship ever built in Saint-Nazaire is also the last. The shipyard, in crisis, still awaiting the realization of an order from a new ship for MSC Italian owner, announced in early March.
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Update 6 May 2010
The fire at the Epic: the postponement of delivery discussed
http://www.labaule.maville.com/actu/actudet_-Incendie-de-l-Epic-le-report-de-livraison-evoque-_dep-1363334_actu.Htm
The hearings began after employees of the fire of the steamer at St. Nazaire. The Department of Building STX now accepts that the delivery date might be postponed.
All day yesterday, buckets filled with blackened waste left the ship, driven by workers who were not prepared for this new task: to remove the traces of a devastating fire. Throughout the day officials of the Building have refined their assessment of the extent of damage caused by fire, smoke and water used by firefighters to save the ship. We know they are considerable, since they extend to two corridors. It is at the intersection of a central corridor and another cross that the fire started Monday night, probably a little before 23 pm The fire spread over approximately 1200 m2. On several tens of meters, floor and ceiling, the structures are deformed. In the central corridor, wiring, devastated, has completely melted in places. ‘We do not have all the elements to undertake the work,’ says Eric Breux only responsible for communication.
The date of 15 June in all heads
Aboard the Norwegian Epic, the largest passenger ship ever built in Saint-Nazaire, the question comes on everyone’s lips. Shipyards they deliver the ship on time, on June 15? The Management Response of Building is full of self care. On Tuesday, she had a rigor optimism yesterday, the vocabulary used foreshadowed a possible bad news. “It might postpone the start, but we do not know yet. “The men on board suspect” that we can finish the Epic June 15, but believe that “it could be done for finishing the first cruise.
Investigators from the safety of urban police station of Saint-Nazaire is also embedded in a race against time. They started yesterday, the hearings of nearly 200 employees working the night of fire. Because to further complicate matters, a second group of workers boarded, just before or just after the start of the fire. The prosecutor, Florence Lecoq, confirmed that the investigation is considering two hypotheses: the negligently discarded cigarette in a dumpster filled with plastic or malicious act. Finally, it is determined if the fire has long simmered in the dumpster before the outbreak of pandemic alert, and why an incompletely closed valve prevented the sprinkler system to function beyond one minute.
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Update May 7
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Saint-Nazaire: The fire on the Norwegian Epic has wreaked havoc
The fire may be arson, occurred on the ship near completion on the night of Monday to Tuesday, has caused great damage. If the shell is not affected, significant damage was observed on the wiring. At five weeks of the delivery of Norwegian Epic, the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire are engaged in a race against time to prevent the accident would delay the delivery. The direction of STX France has launched a “commando raid” in three weeks to repair the damage. “The damage is concentrated in a technical area at the rear of the deck 4. The structure of the ship was not damaged. The main damage is located in the cables. The replenishment of equipment are introduced with fewer delays. To date, we estimate that we can rehabilitate the area by late May / early June, “stated this Thursday the manufacturer. The second round of sea trials the ship, already delayed after a ship’s diesel engine was severely damaged on March 26, would be postponed until early June, shortly before the filing date of the liner to the company NCL. In Saint-Nazaire, where 2200 people work on the “C33” is holding its breath. “It’s a real challenge,” says Will it work sites. Despite this new hazard, STX France maintains the delivery date to June 15
A malicious act causing the fire?
Yesterday evening, the site announced its decision to file a complaint against persons unknown after the fire that hit a technical bridge 4. Following the findings on board by firefighters and police authorities, the public prosecutor of Saint-Nazaire has taken the initiative to appoint an expert to initiate a police investigation. “It became apparent that certain elements observed and information gathered permitted to issue a doubt on the accidental nature of the fire. The coincidence of the decommissioning of the sprinkler system (Hi Fog) with the outbreak of the fire, in the absence of any work by hot spot nearby, prompts us to consider the hypothesis of an act of malevolence. Pending the findings of the investigation, ongoing investigations will not allow us to advance our assumptions about the origin of the fire, “said STX France.
For the record, the fire broke out Monday around 23 hours. Once the alert was given, the vessel was evacuated, 200 people working now on board. The firemen managed to extinguish the fire until Tuesday at 2:00 in the morning.
End of packet backlog STX France, the Norwegian Epic is also the largest conducted so far in Saint-Nazaire. 329.45 feet along a gauge for 153,000 tons, it will have 2098 cabins and suites for passengers.
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Update #2 May 7 – Second dumpster fire this week
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The fire in a dumpster in front of the cruise vessel Norwegian Epic
New warning tonight at Epic Norwegian ship, moored in the port shape Joubert Saint-Nazaire, four days after the fire which broke out aboard the ship. This time, the fire was fortunately on a much more benign. It took around 19 hours in a dumpster located not on board, as was the case in the night from Monday to Friday, but on the platform. The blaze was quickly circumscribed but given the events of earlier this week, extensive resources have been deployed. On the spot, besides the men of the security service of the site, we do not less that seven vehicles of firefighters served by a score of men.
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Update May 29 2010
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Google Translation:
Tests-Norwegian Sea’s epic 11-13 June
The delivery date is scheduled Norwegian June 15 His trial will take place overseas on the weekend before.
This is a marathon race against the clock that is committed to the shipyard STX. Management confirmed on Friday morning setting committee. “The schedule of late vessel was finalized with NCL. Delivery can be delayed because there is a requirement for the undocking C and the trade agenda of the shipowner, “revealed a representative of the CFDT.
Delivery is always announced for June 15 but the remaining time to finish the work decreases. And the site is becoming tighter with sea-trials are scheduled for 11, 12 and 13 June The new motor has been started and should be operational for testing.
At the same time, the work of restoration after the fire on deck 4 are progressing. The draw of the 80 km of cables should be completed this week. The connections are in progress. This fire has had an impact on testing machinery, accommodation and the computer network. There remain a few critical points to board: passenger cabins nonstandard installed at the rear of the ship, the suites and the cafeteria of the bridge 15.
Currently, 2300 people working on board, plus the 1500 crew members who participate in the work of cleaning supplies and boarding owner.