An improperly installed valve led to a fatal engine room fire aboard the cargo vessel Stride while docked at the Barbours Cut Marine Terminal in LaPorte, Texas, according to a recently released National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation. The Jan. 8, 2024, fire resulted in the deaths of two crewmembers, serious injury to another, and the total loss of the vessel, valued at $12 million.
Six weeks before the incident, a replacement valve was ordered for the port double bottom diesel oil (DBDO) tank. Investigators later determined that the installed valve was not the type specified in the vessel’s fuel oil system drawing. Instead of an angle stop valve, an angle stop check valve, designed to allow diesel oil to flow in only one direction, was installed.
During fueling, the incorrect valve prevented the intended flow of diesel oil, leading to an overflow that was redirected up the common vent line. NTSB reported the oil then leaked from a previously sealed cut-out section of the vent pipe. The flexible sealing and tape covering the cut-out failed, allowing fuel to spill into the engine room and onto operating machinery, igniting the fire.
The NTSB report also highlighted crew oversight as a contributing factor. The company’s bunkering procedures required a minimum of two engineering officers and two engine ratings to be on duty during fueling operations. However, at the time of the fire, only three engineering crewmembers were involved.
Additionally, the crew failed to monitor the tank levels adequately, as required by the vessel’s safety management system. The lack of oversight allowed the tank to overfill, ultimately leading to the fuel spill and fire.
The NTSB emphasized the importance of proper part identification when replacing ship components. The agency also underscored the need for adequate staffing and monitoring during bunkering operations. “Vessel owners, operators, and crews should ensure adequate personnel are available to take frequent soundings, establish fuel tank filling rates, and communicate to the person in charge so tanks are monitored and do not overflow,” the report said.
The full Marine Investigation Report 25-05 can be found online.
