Diamond Princess Fire WITH PHOTO

[Carole and Johnny]

Here's the scoop from Kyodo News=I have been waiting for detailed news before posting - here it is....................http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/main/im...101102002.html
Fire erupts in big passenger ship in Nagasaki
NAGASAKI, Oct. 2, Kyodo - A huge fire on Tuesday swept through the upper decks of the 113,000-ton passenger liner Diamond Princess under construction at the Nagasaki shipyard of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
Mitsubishi officials said all the 1,000 or so workers who were inside the ship when the fire broke out escaped unhurt. No injuries were reported.

The ship was docked at the Mitsubishi shipyard when the fire broke out at around 5:50 p.m.

The Diamond Princess, 290 meters long and 41.5 meters wide, has a capacity for 3,100 passengers, one of the world's largest luxury passenger ships.

The Nagasaki city fire department sent more than 40 fire engines and fireboats to the scene and was continuing the fire-fighting operation late Tuesday.

The two coast guard patrol vessels were on the scene to provide security. At 9:45 p.m., the Nagasaki port authority banned all the ship traffic within a 300-meter radius of the Diamond Princess.

According to Mitsubishi officials, the fire appears to have started on the frontal part of the No. 5 deck, which is designed to house an art gallery and passenger cabins. The ship has a total of 14 decks.

The fire soon spread to the upper decks, at one point forcing fire fighters to evacuate the ship. The water sprinkler system was not installed on the ship yet.

Mitsubishi officials said there is no fear that the ship might sink.

Owned by the British shipping company P&O Cruises, the Diamond Princess is the largest passenger ship built in Japan.

The ship has been docked at the Mitsubishi yard since it was launched on May 25 for interior work.

Construction work on the ship had been scheduled to be completed by June next year, and P&O Cruises has planned Alaska cruise from Seattle in the same month.



Post Edited (10-01-02 12:58)

That is quite the photo, unbelievable! Wonder what happens now??

[rayb]

We arrive in Nagasaki on Oct 29th. Maybe we can see the disaster.

Ray

[Phyllbo]

Wow, that picture sure looks bad. It's amazing that nobody was hurt. Thanks for posting the information Carole and Jo.

Phyll

[Travelnut]

Wow Carole,,,,amazing photo,,,!!! Looks worse than I thought !!!

[Mermaid]

Wow, wonder what it will do the merger and company stocks, if anything?

Thanks for the report Carole.