Posted on 09/02/2005 10:52:37 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Three crew members were killed by an apparent methane gas leak aboard a cruise ship in the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, a fire spokeswoman said.
There were three fatalities and seven other people injured, Fire Department spokeswoman Melissa Kelley said.
No passengers were involved, she said. Two of the injured were ship's physicians who had gone to aid the others. Two of the injured were being taken to hospitals. The other five were "walking," she said.
The incident aboard Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas was reported at 9:15 a.m.
Crew members were performing routine maintenance in the starboard propeller shaft when they came in contact with the gas, Kelley said.
Firefighters discovered a five-gallon container of raw sewage that was the apparent source of the methane leak, she said.
Passengers were allowed to remain aboard the ship.
The 14-year-old Monarch of the Seas is based in Los Angeles harbor and normally cruises to Baja California, according to the line's Web site. Registered in the Bahamas, it and can carry up to 2,744 passengers and 856 crew.
The ship is 880 feet long, 106 feet wide, cruises at 21 knots, has 14 passenger decks.
Bush's fault.
We need a congressional committee to investigate this.
/s
Firefighters discovered a five-gallon container of raw sewage that was the apparent source of the methane leak, she said.
I find this hard to believe but am willing to be proven wrong.
The need to give the engine operator a break from time to time so he won't have to shit in a bucket.
There's absolutely no way that the amount of methane from a 5 gallon bucket of sewage could have killed three people. If it could, every farmer who's ever walked into a barn full of cattle would be dead -- those critters fart methane in a big way. And every single person who's been staying in the Superdome for the past few days would be dead too.
I've been on 3 Royal Caribbean cruises and all I can say is that they keep those ships clean as hell.
I hear ya.
Used to cruise RCCL , never encountered anything like this. Even sailed this ship a few years ago.
Off on a Princess cruise for 10 days next week, btw.
I also find it hard to believe that a 5-gallon container of sewage could release enough methane to cause such a powerful explosion. But then I'm certainly no expert on methane explosions.
Three crew members killed by gas leak on cruise ship in LA harbor
Posted on Fri, Sep. 02, 2005
TIM MOLLOY
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Three crew members were killed by methane gas from a raw sewage spill aboard a cruise ship in the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, authorities said. No passengers were involved.
Ten other members of the Monarch of the Seas crew were taken to hospitals for treatment of minor injuries, Fire Department Battalion Chief Lou Roupoli told a dockside press conference.
A statement from the Royal Caribbean cruise line said, however, that five crew members were taken to hospitals and all were in good condition. The discrepancy in numbers was not immediately explained.
Passengers were disembarking at the time of the incident and none were affected, Royal Caribbean said. "All guests have safely departed the ship," a company statement said.
Two ship's physicians were among those injured, said Fire Department spokeswoman Melissa Kelley.
The incident occurred at midmorning after the vessel returned from a cruise with about 2,500 passengers and 850 crew members aboard, Roupoli said. The ship makes regular trips down Mexico's Pacific coast.
Royal Caribbean said crew members were replacing a section of pipe connected to the ship's sewage system when the accident occurred.
The broken line expelled about five gallons of raw sewage and an unknown amount of methane gas in the starboard propeller shaft tunnel, Roupoli said.
The ship's first officer declared a medical emergency at 9:03 a.m. and an onboard rescue team with breathing apparatus retrieved the fallen workers, according to Roupoli and the cruise line statement.
City firefighters arrived about a half hour later with 11 ambulances, two hazardous materials units and other equipment. Roupoli said at late morning that the situation was stable.
Royal Caribbean said the Coast Guard and local authorities were immediately notified and that the cruise line "will fully assist in the investigation of the incident."
Passenger Yvonne Powers of Sacramento said she was about to disembark with her daughter when she saw men in hazardous-materials protective gear going downstairs.
"Nobody said anything to us," Powers said.
Later, after they had left the ship, there was a public address announcement that there had been a mishap and that "we've got it under control," she said.
Passenger Cindy Vasquez of Kingman, Ariz., was waiting to depart the ship with her husband and others when they realized something was wrong.
"We heard a lot of sirens, and heard the helicopters," she said.
She said the crew kept everyone calm as they left the ship.
"It was very, very in order. The panic level was nothing," Vasquez said.
The Monarch of the Seas was scheduled to depart late Friday afternoon on a cruise to the Mexican port of Ensenada.
The 14-year-old Monarch of the Seas is based in Los Angeles harbor. Registered in the Bahamas, it and can carry up to 2,744 passengers and 856 crew, according to the company's Web site.
The ship is 880 feet long, 106 feet wide, cruises at 21 knots and has 14 passenger decks.
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/12545573.htm
Excellent! Thanks!
Updated AP report.
Updated AP story:
"...The broken line expelled about five gallons of raw sewage and an unknown amount of methane gas in the starboard propeller shaft tunnel, Roupoli said.
The ship's first officer declared a medical emergency at 9:03 a.m. and an onboard rescue team with breathing apparatus retrieved the fallen workers, according to Roupoli and the cruise line statement..."
Welcome Norm. Not sure why search didn't bring up this thread. Just glad it's posted.
Not sure why search didn't bring up this thread.
--
The FR servers are getting a workout the last few days.
Stuff happens ;-)
Thanks Norm.
Annie and I will be on it for our 1 year anniversary on the 17 of october hope they fix it. We were on it 2 years ago and they are clean as hell food great plus they have Friends of Bill W. meetings as well
Well, hydrogen sulfide might do it - it stinks, and its stench is its saving grace, for it is as poisonous a cyanide, but the stench serves as a warning. In large concentrations, though, it knocks off the sense of smell, and that's what is likely to have happened. Ship's cook should be hauled off and thoroughly investigated.
We have been on the Majesty and Monarch ,Sovereign,Song of America, and a couple others over the last 20 years.
A great way to spend time away from most of civilization ,, just make sure and not volunteer for the Games.
;-)
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