A vessel master was killed after a fire broke out on a moored fishing vessel. The investigation revealed that an electrical fire had smoldered for some time while the vessel master slept in his stateroom. The smoke from the fire suffocated the vessel master. The vessel was equipped with two heat sensors, one in the galley and one in the engine room. However, heat sensors do not react to smoke, and only activate at predetermined temperatures. The heat sensors in the vessel's alarm system were not effective for this type of fire.

Safe work practices:

• Install and maintain all electrical installations according to applicable standards.
• Install heat sensors and alarm systems and have competent persons test them regularly.
• Install smoke detectors where they will effectively protect crew members.*
• Assign crew members responsibility for emergency procedures and conduct drills to ensure crews are familiar with emergency procedures.

Note: *Unlike heat sensors, smoke detectors are activated by detecting vapour, particulate, and smoke in the air. Installation of these sensors in areas where smoke or vapour is usually present, such as in the galley or engine room, may result in excessive false alarms. However, installation in areas with limited exposure to smoke and vapour, such as the accommodation area, may minimize false alarms while giving protection to sleeping crew. It is also recommended that carbon monoxide (CO) detectors be installed in the accommodation areas to detect carbon monoxide that may be released due to engine exhaust leaks or faulty appliances.