An investigation into a fire on a cross-Channel ferry that left passengers trapped for over 20 hours has resulted in new fire safety recommendations for ferry and port operators, and emergency services.

The June 2010 blaze occurred on the Commodore Clipper which was making a routine overnight crossing from Jersey to Portsmouth, and was exacerbated by a number of problems and mistakes as well as confusion, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch report says.

The alarm was originally, and wrongly, believed to be a fault with the fire detection system, and as such the water drenching system was not activated for 20 minutes.

The fire started on a curtain-sided refrigerated trailer, and the roof of the trailer acted as a shield for the fire from the drenchers.

To exacerbate things further, the tightly-packed formation of the other trailers on the vehicle deck prevented crew members from getting close enough to extinguish the fire themselves.

Then, as if things weren’t bad enough, drainage areas were blocked by loose cargo, resulting in a build-up of drencher water and causing the vessel to list. The drenchers had to be deactivated while the water drained, allowing the fire to once more gain intensity.

In the meantime, the fire had damaged a number of systems on the vessel, including various steering mechanisms.

When the ferry finally limped into Portsmouth, a decision was made that it would be safer to keep the 62 passengers on board the vessel. Although the fire had also damaged hydraulics for the stern door, engineers managed to open it by by-passing the system.

Firefighters from Hampshire fire and Rescue Service, along with staff from the ferry and the port, struggled to tow vehicles from the deck, with smoke becoming thicker as they got nearer the five units that were on fire, requiring the use of breathing apparatus.

It was a full 20 hours after the blaze started before the vehicles on fire were towed from the ferry, still alight, and extinguished on shore, allowing the passengers to finally disembark.

New recommendations
The cause for the accident has been revealed as an overheating reefer cable connection (used to power refrigerated trailers in transit), and among the recommendations of the report are that such cables should be checked regularly, and upgraded if necessary.

Faster reaction to early indications of fire was also among the suggestions in the report.

Additionally, port operators have been encouraged to work with vessel operators to identify alternative methods of evacuating passengers, should the main roll-on roll-off space become inaccessible.