Poor inspection and maintenance blamed for NYC commuter ferry fire

ON 1 June 2002, The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of a fire aboard a New York City commuter ferry was the operator’s inadequate inspection and maintenance of the vessel’s electrical system. Contributing to the extent of the damage was the absence of fixed fire detection and suppression systems and the crew’s lack of knowledge of proper marine firefighting techniques. The fire occurred on the evening of 17 November 2000, as the commuter ferry Port Imperial Manhattan, with three crewmembers and eight passengers aboard, was en route from Manhattan to Weehawken, NJ.