I want to start by saying I’m not any sort of an expert on the topic. But I find precious little information about what to do in case of a fire onboard available anywhere on the internet. So I’d like to share my thoughts and hope others will add more information in the comments.
Every situation is different and how to react is different. But a bit of thinking ahead can go a long ways in dealing with a disaster.
I saw the boat above burn in the LaPaz anchorage, just outside our marina. The owner was having dinner on another boat, and by the time the fire was visible, it was too far along to control. Shelly B burned to the waterline.
In another case, the boat next to us in a marina had an electrical fire while the owner was aboard. However, he was so flustered that he couldn’t figure out how to use his fire extinguisher and yelled over to see if we had one. We readied one for use, handed it over and told him how to use it. While Dave helped him, I started our engine and removed all but two dock lines (and ran those so that I could cast them off from the boat) — if the situation warranted it, I wanted to be able to get our boat out of there instantly (it wasn’t necessary).
Fires do happen. I could list more examples, but that’s not the point of this article. What I want to do is encourage you to think about what to do should you or a nearby boat have a fire. Talk with others on your boat to make sure you’ve all got the same understanding of what you’ll do . . . particularly if you’ve got kids on board.
Here are my thoughts. As I stated before, I’m not an expert and I welcome comments with more ideas. Also read my post on having fire drill and 3 lessons from a boat fire.
- Never ignore a smoke smell or what looks like even the tiniest puff of smoke.
- If you discover a fire, use your best judgment as to whether you can fight it or you need to immediately evacuate.
- Immediately notify anyone else on board of the fire and what you plan to do. If you’re evacuating, many of these won’t apply. If there’s more than one of you aboard, you’ll able to do things simultaneously.
- Next, cut the fuel source (if you’re not sure, do all). Turn the batteries to off. Unplug shore power. Flip the main AC and DC power switches to off. Turn off the engine. If possible, turn the engine fuel off. Turn off the stove, the solenoid and the propane at the tank.
- If there are boats nearby that might be able to help, get on the radio or yell — depending on the situation, have them bring more fire extinguishers, call the fire department or even start prepping to tow the boat out of the marina.
- Use the fire extinguisher(s) and/or fire blankets (also see my articles on how to use a fire extinguisher and how to use a fire blanket).
- If the situation warrants it, think about tossing jerry cans of gas or diesel off the boat. Ditto for propane canisters.
- Constantly re-evaluate the situation and whether you need to evacuate.
- Grab life jackets and have them available if not at a dock. Think about readying/deploying the lift raft or dinghy.
- If at a dock — particularly with other boats — constantly be thinking about whether the best course of action is to tow the boat away from the dock before the fire spreads to any other boats or the dock itself.
Dave and I weren’t around when the fire below occured in La Paz. A good friend of ours, Dick from Corazon, began towing the boat to deep water with his dinghy (make sure to stay upwind of the boat on fire and have a knife handy in case you need to cut loose) and a couple other pangas came to help. This photo was taken by Dick’s wife, Judi.
Please add your thoughts on what to do in case of a fire on board in the comments.
Some links in this article (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links, meaning that we earn from qualifying purchases.
Julie Birbeck on Facebook says
Great post. Thanks!
lee says
Chapman’s Nautical Guides Emergencies At Sea has a list of how to react in case of fires.
Carolyn Shearlock says
It’s an older book — 1991 — but available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NWlr0U
Wendy says
Thank you so much for another great post. This is truly valuable information. I’m consider myself a safety freak and you mentioned things I have never thought of.
Charles says
I cannot highly enough recommend taking a STCW-95 Basic Safety Training course. It will open your eyes to your existing safety protocols and get you thinking about improvements.
Particularly, the days which address Fire will get you actually USING equipment commonly found on boats. It will also tell you about how to maintain that equipment.
Seriously, take a course. It costs about the same as an ASA coastal-cruising course.
James Giard says
Back in the late 1960ss, our family was part of 3 boats was base in Malletts Bay Vermont, on Lake champlain. Ours was a 1961 25′ Chris Craft Cabin Cruser, the 2nd boat was the same as ours but a year older and the third was a brand New 1967 28′ Owns Cabin Cruiser.
With bunch of us kids along, we cruised 2 years in a row up to Montreal to Expo 67 and in 1968 to Man and His Would that was on the same grounds as Expo 67, and the third year to Champlain canel.
After that cruise the owners of the 28’Owns went for an overnight just themselves and no kids in an anchorage on the north shore of Malletts Bay. The next morning while cooking breakfest the alcohol ran out of the alcohol stove.They attemped to fill it back up without waiting for it to cool down and the spill some alcohol side of the stove and it caught on fire.They though they got the fire out with a fire extinguisher and went ot the back deck to catch their breath and was making plans to pull up anchor and head back home,
With in a couple of minites smoke and flames started coming out of the cabin for what they did not relize that the alcohol that went behinfd the stove on and behind the wood work was also burning for eventhough they could not see the flame. A nearby boat came and pick them up before the boat burn to the water line and sank.
Their are many lessons to be learn and my father gave us a fire safety lesson even we were just teenagers and with him handling all aspects of using the alcohol stove.He never had a problem with using an alcohol stove and even used it for cooking and heating his truck camper during deer hunting.
When I got my 26′ Chris Craft, with that memory I got rid of the alcohol stove and went elictric, because we had a slip at a local marina and away from the slip I have a small propane grill to use.
I know this posting is a bit long, but if it can save someone else from going through what our friends did all most 44 years ago and mayby have some other comments and stories to go along with this it will be well worth it.
John Barltrop says
Couldn’t agree more with Charles. I had better agree seeing that I teach STCW 95 Certificate of Safety Courses among other things.
One could probably spend many hours talking on this subject, but, when you look into the causes of the majority of shipboard fires, most of them could have been prevented entirely or at least the probability of fire greatly reduced by three things:
!. Good housekeeping practices……..be generally tidy, wipe up oil or fuel spills immediately, don’t leave oil soaked rags laying around, put in a container with a lid on it (prevents spontaneous combustion)……..if you find a leak, fix it in an approved manner, if you don’t know how to do it, pay someone who does. (Unfortunately there are too many would be’s, if they could be’s………. and boy do they cause problems.)
2. Makinging regular checks on particularly, but not only, mahcinery and electrical systems
3. Carrying out regular maintenance according to manufacturer’s instructions
Also of assistance, is having a vessel properly equiped with adequate and the correct type of fire fighting appliances. If the size of the vessel warrants it, fit a decent fixed fire fighting installation.
Of course all this is ignoring the the fact of stupidity……..as shown in the previous post……just remember, if you do stupid things, you are a long time dead.
Elizabeth says
I read to keep a wool blanket on board that you can toss on a fire to smother it. Obviously, it can’t be a large fire.
SailAwayGirl
John Barltrop says
Elizabeth!…………….that is why the make those things called fire blankets, but do not get the 1m x 1m blanket, they are next to useless, get the 2.1m x 1.8m……….not only are they particularly good for the galley, but they are good to use for a “human torch” as well.
I might also add they may help someone escape from a fire zone.
Silk says
The Marina just cross the creek from me is getting fire/smoke alarms for boats in their 96 boat facility. These new alarms are radio linked so that when one alarm goes off the alarms will sound on each group of 8 boats. They even asked if I wanted to “tie in” with an alarm on my boat. What a great community spirit. While this does not identify the boat which initiated the alarm, it gets everyone working on solving the situation. More expensive alarms can “call out” the alarm location, but these vocalizations are preset, to kitchen, bedroom, etc. Not too useful to ID which boat is reporting the alarm.
Fire blankets would be better than extinguishers for galley fires to smother the fire rather than using an extinguisher which may spray burning grease or fuel around the boat. One quick search got me to for a fiberglass blanket for $40.
A wool treated blanket, large enough to be cut down for 4 boats was $25 +$10s/h — but you add grab loops & make the wall bag for it if you want to hang it up.
I’m looking forward to an article on galley fire control. Maybe a reader will submit an article.
Has anyone talked about using the deck wash pump on a below-deck hose to give you unlimited water?
Stay safe!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Great alarm idea!
I do have articles on both using a fire blanket and using a fire extinguisher for galley fires — and yes, in most situations, the fire blanket will do more.
Colin Mombourquette says
Great post, thank you
S/V Kelly Nicole says
We had a fire on our old boat. Alcohol stove refill didn’t work out as planned. I left a trail of fuel from the stove canister to the fuel jug. I lit the stove and the fuel jug went up as well. Pretty blue flame on the ceiling had me mesmerized until the curtains went up. No damage except to the curtains, but the extinguisher cleanup took days. I was in a rush because I was running late for a fire training exercise 🙁
The Boat Galley says
Talk about irony . . . just glad that you were safe, even if the cleanup was awful.
Dan Thomas says
We lost our Lagoon TPI 37 to an onboard fire. Our home was gone and our lives were wrecked also. Just now getting it back together and bought another boat. Ready for the liveaboard life again. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2695848916600&set=a.2686519083360.2111998.1267904793&type=3&theater
Dan Thomas says
We lost our Lagoon TPI 37 to an onboard fire. Our home was gone and our lives were wrecked also. Just now getting it back together and bought another boat. Ready for the liveaboard life again. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2695848916600&set=a.2686519083360.21119
Carolyn Shearlock says
Oh no! I am SO sorry for you.
John Barltrop says
Another major cause of fire aboard ships whether at sea, alongside or on the slip in particular is:
Not carrying out correct procedures when carrying out hot work on board a vessel……..there are set down procedures for welding, oxy cutting, etc.,……….ignore them at your peril…………..many fires and loss of lives have resulted from bad/or no practices with hot work.
Frances Liz Fernandez says
Great article and reminders. Every situation will be different. We had an electrical short, smelled smoke and for the life of me I couldn’t remember where the fire extinguishers were! Despite having two on board — visible and accessible. Panic can disorient you. I know better now! No damage but it could always get worse very quickly. I show my guests where they are located too along with other safety orientation.
Diana K Weigel says
Good information. I might add something I learned in the Navy. Conduct frequent fire drills with different scenarios. Just as we practice Man overboard drills to know exactly what to to in an emergency we should practice fire drills.
LisaMarie Gauci Takacs says
Tag
Shawn Harlan says
Almost have fire extinguishers on their boats I bet many do not have a fire blanket they’re not expensive and can be found fairly easily and I believe should be a must in the galley which can also be used to put out other fires quickly safely
The Boat Galley says
I’ve written about them several times and there are links in that post to those other articles for anyone who wants more info . . . or see them here: http://amzn.to/1NUtZ1u
Angel Mercer Ganey says
I bought this blanket, not knowing it was recommended. Glad to see it vetted here.
Shawn Harlan says
Yup… same one i have, stowed right under the oven.
John Barltrop says
“….right under the oven….”
NOT a good idea……..have it hung on a bulkhead near the door to the galley or space where the oven is located………if a fire started in this space the chances are it would be in the vicinity of the oven/range………you may not be able to reach the fire blanket!!!!
Angel Mercer Ganey says
Yes, boat fires is one of my primary concerns. We have a fire blanket and extinguishers; next come the detectors. I recently did my own fire drill where I made sure I could go up through the hatch located near our v-berth. Glad I did! Now I know where to put my feet, how to push myself up and out….although I’m sure all of that would be accelerated by a real fire. Thank you all for sharing your tips. Very important stuff. Maybe also a checklist (mental or otherwise) before leaving the boat to ensure things are turned off/closed?
The Boat Galley says
I’m a big fan of checklists!
Dave Skolnick says
If I remember the numbers correctly from BoatUS statistical analysis the most common cause of boat fires is overheating at the shorepower inlet. Next is the galley, more often spills than anything to do with propane or alcohol. There are lots of other minor causes.
Make sure your fire extinguishers (and fire blanket) are located so you are most likely to be on the same side of a fire as your extinguishing tools.
When in doubt, get off the boat.
The Boat Galley says
I actually have two fire blankets — one on each side of the stove just so I can’t be caught on the wrong side. And multiple fire extinguishers.
John Barltrop says
In a galley the best extinguisher is the Wet Chemical Extinguisher which was specifically designed for fat and cooking oil fires…………it can also be used for carbonaceous materials, (wood, paper, plastics, etc.), although, I would not recommend it for that use because it is not recommend to use it on the latter……its very messy to clean up, that said, it is still the best extinguisher for galley fires involving cooking fats and oils.
Edsel Falconer says
I recently had a fire on board from a metho stove. Forgot to close the fill hole of the tank. When it rotated on the Gyball it leaked and spread the fire in the cooker space. Tried to smother it, but no luck. Reached for the extinguisher which is close at hand and put it out. The event has spooked me about using it and I would like to consider other options now.
Jon B. Oceanside Ca says
Another point to remember, even if you don’t see smoke, or for that matter, smell it. Just remember some fires dont have a smoke smell. Electrical is very distinctant. But oily rags smoldering is different.
While on my dock during the afternoon hours I could smell something different. I thought it was the dredging boat with diesel exaust. However it smelled different. Fast forward to 1230 am, and my neighbors boat started to kick off. Fire dept was called and arrived just as flames hit the flybridge of a 35 foot sportfisher. He was working earlier that day and left rags in a plastic bucket. I didnt see smoke, or flames all day until that evening. If your nise smells something different, check it out. Dont dismiss as what you think it is. Verify, verify, cerify. Your fellow boaters will thank you.
M.V. Lovely Day says
Thanks for the good ideas . This is my tuppence worth!
I think about the Triangle of Combustion. Fuel / Heat / Oxygen. Take one away = No Fire.
Blanket – Exclude Oxygen.
FiFi Extinguisher – Reduce Oxygen % below Combustion level / Cools / also some types chemically interfere with combustion
Even if ‘Fire’ is out can re-ignite if heat still present and Oxygen allowed back in.
SO… Damp Fire Blanket, (not wet if Fat or Fuel), – cools and excludes Oxygen,
Engine Room – do not open door, activate FiFi cylinder if you have one. On a ship all the the vents can be closed but on boats the vents are open so I have a plan to block with wet rags to exclude Oxygen and keep the FiFi gas inside, then LEAVE for LONG time to allow to cool without opening door. If you are lucky it will not re-ignite.
Same with a Cabin – use all of the extinguisher, close door, block vents. Dry Powder is usually Bicarb Soda so harmless but devil to clean up, (fire is worse). If using Gas extinguisher beware of asphyxiation in confined areas. Hit the fire then use rest of extinguisher from behind semi closed door. Then close fully and vacate.
While you wait to allow LONG time for cooling, prepare to evacuate. Only open door etc after cooling confirmed.
Understand what type of Extinguishers you have and where to use them. (usually picture showing which class of fire can be used on). Never put water on Fat or Fuel.
All the above dependant on what explosive combustibles you may have, gasoline/propane etc. (diesel burns ferociously but does not ‘explode’). If so the best bet may be to wait from a safe distance in a Dinghy with liferaft in it!
A confined space can be your freind if you can extinguish, exclude Oxygen and cool. (On a ship hoses are used for boundary cooling once the compartment is isolated).
The best lifeboat is your boat!
Hope this helps.
Remember the rule of 6 P’s.
John Barltrop says
“(diesel burns ferociously but does not ‘explode’)”
Any vapour air mixture within its flammability range will explode with an source of ignition, which includes distillates, kerosene, etc
Garry Ball says
Hi John. Yes – you are correct, as demonstrated by diesel burning in an internal combustion engine, but the conditions needed for a Diesel based ‘explosion’ to happen on a boat are in my opinion extreme.
For an ‘explosion’ the rate of burn needs to be very high or the pressure the burn generates to be contained and the container to fail dramatically. A liquid diesel fire, dramatic as that would be, is not normally ‘explosive’. A diesel fume fire could be ‘explosive’ but this depends on the volume of fumes and having the correct (or incorrect), air mixture with the diesel fumes.
The LFL (Lowest Flammable Limit) of diesel fumes fixed with normal air at 21% Oxygen is 0.6% of Diesel. Below 0.6% diesel fumes cannot be ignited.
The UFL (Upper Flammable Limit) of diesel fumes is 7.5% – above this diesel will not ignite. Of course on the boundary of the fumes the % will be in the inflammable range which, when ignited, gives the ‘broiling’ effect of the fire much loved in special effects.
Flash Point (Lowest Temp liquid diesel can be ignited by an ignition source) 38deg C – eg. spark from a diesel soaked electrical switch.
The Auto Ignition temp (spontaneous ignition with no ignition source) – 210deg C. – This is why rags should never be be left if soaked in diesel – decomposition can raise the temp but 210deg is extreme.
Being practical – if the correct concentration of diesel fumes is exposed to a spark or a temp above 210degC then the result is a Flash Fire and depending on the volume of diesel fumes and if they are contained within say a sealed engine room, you are correct, it could be termed an explosion.
There is a world of difference between Diesel and say Gasoline or LPG where the range and volatility is much greater. Personally I regard Diesel as not ‘Explosive’ – but in the wrong circumstances it can ‘Flash’. After that it is a liquid fire – albeit pretty damn fast!
The most important thing is to understand the processes of how diesel burns and so to understand how to tame the beast.
Fuel / Heat / Oxygen. Take one away = No Fire.
I must say though these are my own opinions and I won’t argue the difference between a Flash and an Explosion. I would also defer to anyone with more experience but just hope that to discuss these things helps understanding of the risks we are all exposed to, especially on a boat or in a car.
John Barltrop says
Fuel / Heat / Oxygen. Take one away = No Fire.
Rather than use the fire triangle, use the fire tetrahedron, the base of the triangular pyramid is the “chemical reaction” of the fire, bearing in mind that a couple of extinguishers in common use today actually inhibit the “chemical reaction” of the fire, thereby extinguishing it
John Barltrop says
“The Auto Ignition temp (spontaneous ignition with no ignition source) – 210deg C”
In Australia the minimum SIT of distillate is 350 C, but, it is generally up around 390 C………the reason for this is that it takes the distillate from the flammable range to the combustible range and by doing this the handling restrictions are less demanding………….it is all about handling requirements
Colin Leake says
Thanks for a great article,
I believe every cabin should have its own photoelectric smoke detector. Getting to a fire sooner will greatly increases your chance of getting it under control.
If you are going to tow a boat away from others, try to use wire or chain as the tow line at least at he burning boat end. A rope can burn through and then you have a burning boat drifting around a marina.
Richard Daley says
Stay together with your crew members in the water and wait for rescue personnel to arrive.
Chris says
The LED stern light just above the waterline on my 1995 Striper Seaswirl had a short and started smoking and glowing orange! I smelt something burning but it took a minute to figure out what was happening because the smoke was hard to see while moving. When I found the source of the fire, I turned off the running lights and turned the motor off. I splashed water on it and that put it out. I’m new to boating and feel very lucky to be alive and to have not lost the boat at sea! Being so close to the engine and gasoline lines things really could have been bad if I didn’t act quick. The stern light was old and the sealant around it was cracked which let water in causing a short. Now I’m worried about other lights and wiring on the boat and any water getting on them. Be safe out there and trust your instincts when you think something is wrong!
Carolyn Shearlock says
In general, you do NOT want to splash water on an electrical fire — use a fire extinguisher instead.