Engine Locker Refit – Fire Damage
Fire Damage To Engine Room
This particular boat whilst underway noticed, smoke coming from their port engine room. The owner acted correctly by turning off all appliances, isolating batteries and preparing safety equipment. The savour to the incident not becoming worse, is that the owner did not open up the engine locker, this ensured no oxygen was entering the room, causing the fire to choke itself out.
Initial Investigation and Damage Report
After our initial inspection, we belive that the fire was initiated from the main engine battery. The heat damage was all in this area, and both batteries have ignited. The engine locker had been filled with smoke and a high level of heat.
Destroying the boat’s water maker, located to the left of the batteries. Damaging all plastic and rubber hoses in the locker, above the batteries ran some hydraulic hoses which also burst and caused fluid to be sprayed inside the locker room. All electrical cable needed changing as it had been subject to high levels of heat.
Fortunately, the engine itself was in fairly good order. Other than some smoke damage to the paintwork, the electronic throttle cables and two alternators required replacement after being subject to heat and smoke.
Final Report
All equipment was serviced or replaced including; watermaker, hydraulic lift pumps, freshwater pumps, all engine hoses and breather pipes, engine alternators, full engine service and diagnostics check, new battery cabling, remote battery switches, and locker insulation/soundproofing.
The work took 3 weeks, with surveyors inspecting at particular stages of the repair.
We can not say with 100% certainty what caused the battery to fail, as the damage was too severe. The most probable causes would have been a faulty battery cell, or the engine’s 12v alternator failing and overcharging the battery.
We really appreciate the speediness and great communication during the repair work. Owner – ‘Mr Fischer’
