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Case 2
Another Leak + Heat = Fire

Narrative

The Luxembourg registered high-speed craft Diamant suffered an engine room fire while on passage from Ostend to Dover during August1998. The fire was quickly extinguished using the drencher system.

Securing bolts on a main engine high- pressure fuel pump were found to have fractured. This allowed the pump to move, disturbing pipework, and resulting in fuel impinging on a hot surface, most probably an indicator cock.
The engine was a Ruston RK27 Mk2.

Because this problem had been experienced on previous occasions, the vessel’s engineers had been monitoring the pumps regularly. One precautionary step already taken had been the fitting of uprated pump-securing bolts just three months before this latest incident.

The engine’s manufacturer carried out further investigations and concluded that correct tightening procedures were an important element in the satisfactory performance of these bolts. Access using normal spanners and torque wrenches had been a problem, so to overcome these difficulties they designed a tool to ensure that specified torque could more easily be applied to all securing bolts.

The manufacturers also issued a service bulletin setting out tightening torque and procedures. The bulletin also stressed the importance of using new nuts and flat washers whenever a pump was refitted.

The Lessons

1. The value of water spraying fire-extinguishing systems was shown in this incident. The fire was quickly extinguished without the need to close down the engine room.

2. This case is one of a long line of engine room fires on all types of vessels, caused by leaking fuel. Eternal vigilance is necessary to prevent their occurrence or to reduce their consequences.

3. When applying torque, follow the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully. If you find you can’t because of access or some other difficulty, record it and tell someone. This can be an important ingredient to identifying and overcoming a problem.