Boat fire Santa Cruz Island

Drumsurf

Billy Hamilton status
Nov 4, 2012
1,397
274
83
Beach
The thing that gets to me is the amount of people on this boat.

35 people seems like a huge amount for a boat that size.

I could understand something like this over in Indo. A bargain 3rd world surf charter out of Padang to the Mentawaiis.

I have had friends who have come close to floundering on boat indo trips.
Boats of this style for fishing and diving are super common in So Cal. There are 20+ on the water today out of SD chasing tuna. Everything from overnight to 10 day trips. They are all similar with tons of bunks below deck. 35 people plus crew is not uncommon.
 

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,723
15,941
113
I am surprised people are willing to pay to be packed like sardines, no more over rated experience than sleeping at sea, depending on conditions and vessel of course.
 

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Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
113
Never thought about the sardine factor or was ever claustrophobic. All of the social activity is in the salon/galley and deck. I always try to grab one of the double bunks to sprawl out or watch a movie. A day of diving and sun sorta wipes you out & down below with with the curtain closed and the generator and other equipment droning away you can't really hear people snoring, getting up to pee, etc,. Then your up and above deck at first light. In my experience least amount of time is spent down there.
 

tenover

Kelly Slater status
Jan 17, 2003
9,318
1,704
113
Point Loma, CA
Never thought about the sardine factor or was ever claustrophobic. All of the social activity is in the salon/galley and deck. I always try to grab one of the double bunks to sprawl out or watch a movie. A day of diving and sun sorta wipes you out & down below with with the curtain closed and the generator and other equipment droning away you can't really hear people snoring, getting up to pee, etc,. Then your up and above deck at first light. In my experience least amount of time is spent down there.
Totally agree. This was a a VERY rare and unfortunate accident. I'm interested in what the final outcome of the investigation is. My thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased.
 
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mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,723
15,941
113
I don't know if has been mentioned the escape hatch led to galley where the fire was.
 

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Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
113
I don't know if has been mentioned the escape hatch led to galley where the fire was.
Where the fire originated hasn't been confirmed.
The owner was served a search warrant. Seems they're digging for anything: accountability, any past negligence, etc. It very well might end like TO said, and unbelievably rare and horrible accident.
 

tenover

Kelly Slater status
Jan 17, 2003
9,318
1,704
113
Point Loma, CA
Where the fire originated hasn't been confirmed.
The owner was served a search warrant. Seems they're digging for anything: accountability, any past negligence, etc. It very well might end like TO said, and unbelievably rare and horrible accident.
Yep....Page 3.

"
Wednesday at 7:39 AM
There are a couple emergency hatches in the ceiling of the bunk area, but again, they also lead into the galley.
"

My bad...Meant to reply to mundus.
 

tenover

Kelly Slater status
Jan 17, 2003
9,318
1,704
113
Point Loma, CA
Check out some of the "pre-accident" videos on YouTube(old passenger videos) of the Conception. It's a pretty standard configuration for a dive boat. The unfortunate fact is that the emergency exits/hatches from the bottom bunk area led up to the bow and galley areas, which means if the fire was in the middle deck, there's no escaping unless you decide to "chance it" and run through flames...

 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
There was probably a bulkhead separating the compartments.

Fires aboard a boat have been feared by mariners since the dawn of time. With today's building materials, probably the safest in marine history.

So many details. How exactly did that fire start?

How was the boat anchored? Was there a heavy offshore wind that oriented the boat bow on and then fanned the flames aft???
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,006
16,710
113
Check out some of the "pre-accident" videos on YouTube(old passenger videos) of the Conception. It's a pretty standard configuration for a dive boat. The unfortunate fact is that the emergency exits/hatches from the bottom bunk area led up to the bow and galley areas, which means if the fire was in the middle deck, there's no escaping unless you decide to "chance it" and run through flames...


He seems angry and aggressive.
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
Guaranteed not the boat builders fault.

All of these boats are built, industrywise to the same specs. The wiring added in after the build? Compatabilities between guests electronics and the established, onboard electrical grid???

No boat builder in the world can anticipate a foreign piece of gear being plugged into the ship onboard system and shorting out.
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
I have a Samsung TV. The converter box gets so hot it needs to be placed in an area with no combustibles around it.

The second converter box.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,006
16,710
113
Sometimes accidents and tragedies just happen. Sure we can learn from them and take measures to hopefully prevent them from reoccurring but sometimes we have an unhealthy desire to find someone to blame.
 

tenover

Kelly Slater status
Jan 17, 2003
9,318
1,704
113
Point Loma, CA
I'm not blaming anyone at all, just saying that the layout was pretty standard for a dive boat. The fire could have been started by a guest charging a ton of lithium batteries for camera gear for all we know. Regardless of the cause, tragic and sad for everyone who perished and their families.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,006
16,710
113
I'm not blaming anyone at all, just saying that the layout was pretty standard for a dive boat. The fire could have been started by a guest charging a ton of lithium batteries for camera gear for all we know. Regardless of the cause, tragic and sad for everyone who perished and their families.

Sorry, that wasn't directed at you.