| Ship fires cause double trouble

A “SERIOUS fire” broke out aboard the
22-cabin RV Lan Diep on the Mekong River
over the weekend.
The fire started in the gangway and spread
into the kitchen, leading to the evacuation of
passengers who were transferred by bus to
their final destination.
Passengers were unharmed, but some crew
members suffered minor injuries and the
vessel is expected to be out of action for two
weeks while under repair.
Naidah Yadzani, GM, Compagnie Fluviale du
Mekong, told ExpeditionCruising.com: “We
suspect an electrical problem was the cause of
the fire although we still need to complete a
full investigation.
“CFM’s skilled crew and excellent safety
systems ensured that the fire was contained in
the kitchen area and quickly extinguished,”
Yadzani said.
USA Today also reported a small fire aboard
the Queen Mary 2 while en route from Canada
to New York last week.
The fire, in one of the engine rooms, had no
impact on guests or crew.