Your vessel has two fire pumps and a low pressure CO₂ system, which protect the cargo holds and the engine room. A fire is reported on the #3 car deck aft hold. The emergency teams are on air. The first team reports from the forward end of the #3 car deck that there is heavy black smoke coming from the aft end of the hold and there is very limited visibility. They also report they cannot see any flames from their location. The second emergency team reports paint burning and blistering on the hull in the area of #3 car deck aft, as seen from the weather deck. How would you combat this fire?
• Class B/C cargo deck fires on RO-RO or car carriers • Use of low-pressure CO₂ systems for machinery spaces and cargo holds • Principles of boundary cooling and evacuation before CO₂ release
• Based on the reports from both teams, where does it sound like the seat of the fire actually is: inside the space or exposed on deck? • What is the main danger of keeping firefighters inside an enclosed space if you are planning to release CO₂ into that space? • In a car deck fire with heavy smoke and very poor visibility, which general strategy is usually safer: interior attack or remote suppression plus cooling boundaries?
• Verify the need to evacuate and account for all personnel before operating a fixed CO₂ system • Consider whether using ventilation or cargo fans would feed oxygen to the fire or help extinguish it • Think about how boundary cooling protects the structure and slows fire spread while a fixed system is being prepared
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