NEWS ALERT - Cruise Ship Fire

[alicia-w]

Fire breaks out on Princess cruise ship carrying 2,690 passengers headed to Montego Bay, Jamaica, cruise line and Coast Guard officials told CNN.

[alicia-w]

BREAKING NEWS

Jamaican authorities report one dead, several injured in fire aboard Princess cruise ship, according to The Associated Press.

[gtalum]

From posts at the cruisecritic.com forums it was pretty bad. Some 120 cabins are uninhabitable and passengers were kept at muster stations in life jackets for 7 hours.

[alicia-w]

News

3/23/2006
Statement on Star Princess


Issued 7:30 am PST

This morning at approximately 3:10 am local time, as Star Princess was en route from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, a fire broke out in the passenger accommodations, and spread to adjacent cabins.

Passengers were immediately notified of the fire using the public address system and requested to report to their muster stations. We subsequently completed a full check to account for all passengers and crew.

We deeply regret having to confirm that there has been one passenger fatality following a cardiac arrest, two passengers with significant smoke inhalation injuries and nine passengers with minor complications resulting from smoke inhalation. The injured passengers have been stabilized in the ship's medical center.

The fire is fully out, however there is still residual smoke throughout the affected area. The cause of the fire at this time is unknown.

The ship is carrying a total of 2,690 passengers and 1,123 crew members.

A full damage assessment is being carried out now that the ship has arrived in Montego Bay.

Authorities were immediately contacted regarding the incident and we continue to work closely with all relevant parties.

Star Princess sailed from Fort Lauderdale on March 19 on a western Caribbean itinerary with calls at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay and Princess Cays.

A special number has been set up for inquiries from immediate family of passengers who are currently onboard: 1-800-693-7222.
__________________
Roger
CruiseOne

this is from the board at the site gtalum posted.

and here's a cam link

http://princessshutter.com/

[alicia-w]

sounds like a good time to stay home!

[Brent]

sounds like a good time to stay home!

Yep.

*puts on tinfoil hat*

That's three incidents involving Cruise Ship passengers in one day.

[alicia-w]

dont forget to put it on your windows too! you cant be too careful

[alicia-w]

a close friend here at the office said his son and his girlfriend were on that ship last week....

[southerngale]

I was already a little nervous about my first ever Caribbean cruise in May after seeing Speed 2 recently. I got over that fear, and now see this.

Just lovely.


But then again, there are house fires all the time...I still live in a house.

[gtalum]

Don't worry about it. This is truly a freak event. Tens of thousands of people cruise every week with no problems. A fire can happen anywhere.

[alicia-w]

cruise ships fires are very uncommon. they said it appears to have started in a passenger cabin.

you'll be fine! have fun!

the single death was caused by cardiac arrest, not the fire itself. if your heart can make it through a Bon Jovi concert, you'll be fine!

[Brent]

if your heart can make it through a Bon Jovi concert, you'll be fine!