On February 3, a small fire broke out onboard the Viking Orion cruise ship while it was docked in Sydney, Australia. The ship’s crew quickly extinguished the fire, and there were no reported injuries.
The cruise line, Viking, is currently investigating the incident, with early reports indicating that the cause of the fire was electrical, possibly from a corded device. Despite the incident, all scheduled operations on board the ship have continued, and the cruise line does not expect disruptions to the current voyage.
Fire Onboard Viking Orion
At approximately 8:00 AM on February 3, a small fire broke out in an accommodation cabin on Deck 5 of the Viking Orion while the ship was docked in Sydney, Australia. The ship’s crew quickly contained and extinguished the fire with assistance from the New South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (FRNSW).
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Viking released a statement confirming the incident: โWe can confirm that a small fire occurred in a guest stateroom on board the Viking Orion while the ship was docked in Sydney the morning of February 3 (local time). The fire was extinguished within minutes by the shipโs crew, and there were no injuries.
โViking is fully investigating the incident, and early reports indicate the cause of the fire was electrical, possibly from a corded device. All scheduled operations on board the Viking Orion have continued, and we do not expect any disruption to the current voyage.โ
The cruise line emphasized that the 14-day voyage from Sydney would not be affected by the incident, and the ship’s planned itinerary would proceed as scheduled. Viking Orion is set to visit Melbourne, Tasmania, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, and Rotorua, before arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, on February 16.
The Importance of Fire Safety on Cruise Ships
Cruise ship fires are relatively rare, but they can have devastating consequences if not handled quickly and efficiently. Cruise lines have strict fire safety protocols, including regular fire drills and fire prevention training for crew members.
The quick response and effective action of the crew on board the Viking Orion is a testament to the importance of these protocols and the effectiveness of the training.
The New South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (FRNSW) is continuing to work with the ship’s captain and crew to determine the fire’s source and ensure that all necessary steps are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Viking Orion is the fourth of eight ocean-going cruise ships operated by Viking Ocean Cruises. The ship was built by Fincantieri at its yard in Ancona, Italy, and was delivered to Viking Cruises on June 7, 2018.
The 47,842 gross tons Viking Orion has space for 930 passengers. Just a few weeks ago, Viking Orion came into the news as the New Zealand authorities required the vessel to carry out hull cleaning operations due to bio-fouling.
The fire onboard Viking Orion is already the second fire onboard a cruise ship this week. A fire broke out onboard Icon of the Seas yesterday, February 2.