Hold of Norwegian Ship „Green Klipper“ on Fire

On Friday, 22nd April 2016 at 11:04, insulation elements in the hold of the ship “Green Klipper” caught fire during work that was being carried out on the vessel belonging to a Norwegian operator. During the fire the ship was moored at Dock 1 at the Gryfia Repair Shipyard in Szczecin. The fire involved the hold’s thermal insulation and wooden platforms under the decks of the unit that was currently under repair. 

The first emergency services to arrive at the scene at 11:12 were heavy firefighting and rescue trucks, operational vehicles, water and foam carriers and an ambulance from Gryfia Repair Shipyard’s Fire Service. The first investigation showed that the fire had developed in Hold 4. Luckily, everyone had evacuated the decks before the first emergency services arrived.

For the first phase of the rescue operation, firefighters wearing protective respirators established three positions to fight the fire: one on the port side of the ship by the entrance to the hold, another on the starboard side near the entrance to the hold, and a third on deck. A hose was also set up from a tug to the starboard side. At about 11:21, the operational leader decided to adjust two defensive fire jets onto Hold 3. 

Difficulties were encountered during the operation at about 12:00 when a pump broke down. It was decided to modify the main lines and bring in reinforcements from firefighting vessel “Strażak 24” which had arrived at the scene. Orders were issued to train a jet of water onto the starboard side of the „Green Klipper“ from the firefighting vessel to cool it down. Due to the difficult conditions arrangements were made with “SLPGaz” to supply the air for the respirators at the scene. 

A command and communication vehicle was deployed from the Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Szczecin. At 12:15, the City Chief Fire Officer of the State Fire Service in Szczecin took over command. The fire was localised at about 13:05. The units began to extinguish the burning areas and demolition works were carried out to isolate the sides of the ship in Holds 3 and 4. A thermovisual camera was used during the operation to check whether there were any concealed burning brands in the sides of the ship or in the hold spaces. The fire was extinguished at about 15:00. 

12 teams from the National Fire Service, three from the Gryfia Repair Shipyard‘s Fire Service, firefighting vessel Strażak 24 and a police patrol took part in the operation.