Classification
- Incident Type: Fire
- Severity: Medium
- Vessel Type: General Cargo
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Alpena |
| Vessel Type | General Cargo |
| Flag State | United States [US] |
| IMO Number | |
| Gross Tonnage | 8018 |
| LOA (m) | 153.4 |
| Breadth (m) | 20.4 |
| Main Power (kW) | 2980 |
| Official Number | 241856 |
| Owner/Operator | American Transport Leasing Inc. / Inland Lakes Management, Inc. |
| Year Built | 1942 |
| Crew Size | 10 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2015-12-11 |
| Location | Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, United States |
| Region | United States |
| Coordinates | 44.8342, -87.3770 |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Direct Damage | USD 4 million |
| Economic Damage | |
Key facts
- Alpena was dry docked at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for a scheduled five-year inspection.
- The fire started in the aft electrical control room for the winches on 11 December 2015.
- Shipyard workers evacuated the vessel and the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department extinguished the fire; no one was injured.
- The NTSB report estimates property damage at about USD 4 million.
- The NTSB determined that a fault in wiring supplying the aft anchor winch was the probable cause.
Narrative
Alpena arrived at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on 4 December 2015 for a scheduled five-year dry-dock inspection. The freighter was expected to return to service carrying bulk cement after the work. On 11 December, while the vessel was dry docked, a fire broke out in the electrical control room for the aft winches. The NTSB brief records the accident time as 17:30 central standard time, while its narrative places the fire at about 17:40. Shipyard workers and the crew evacuated and accounted for all personnel. The Sturgeon Bay Fire Department arrived at 17:47, brought the fire under control at 19:03, and fully cleared the spaces by 01:17 the following day. More than 80 firefighters responded.
The fire spread from the electrical control room to the steering gear flat, paint locker, dining room, galley, and several main-deck staterooms. The NTSB found no evidence that the fire was associated with ongoing shipyard work or the daily work of the crew living aboard. Investigators found significant deterioration in the aft-winch wiring and possible chafing points. The NTSB determined that the probable cause was a fault in the electrical wiring supplying the aft anchor winch. Property damage was estimated at about USD 4 million, and no injuries or environmental damage were reported.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2015-12-04 | Alpena arrived at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for a scheduled five-year dry-dock inspection. |
| 2015-12-11 17:30 | The NTSB report header records the fire at 17:30 central standard time; the narrative states that it broke out at about 17:40. |
| 2015-12-11 17:47 | The Sturgeon Bay Fire Department arrived and began preparations to fight the fire. |
| 2015-12-11 19:03 | The fire was under control. |
| 2015-12-12 01:17 | All spaces were fully cleared. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Aft-winch wiring fault | Confirmed finding | The NTSB determined that a fault in the electrical wiring supplying the aft anchor winch was the probable cause. |
| Deteriorated insulation | Reported | Investigators found significant deterioration in the cable sheathing and insulation, with possible chafing points where wiring passed through unprotected sheet metal. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the fire and issued Marine Accident Brief NTSB/MAB-16/20 on 26 October 2016. The brief determined that a fault in the wiring supplying the aft anchor winch was the probable cause. It found no evidence linking the fire to ongoing shipyard work or the crew's routine work aboard the vessel.
References
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