Palm Beach yacht fire - La Diva is destroyed

Even a deluge is preferable to a conflagration.

Hi-Fog is the Shiznat. My last yacht had it. it was about a million dollar option supposedly on a 196' and lots of equipment to make it work. But after watching videos of a hi-fog system doing its job, well worth the money for a big boat.

For those not familiar: fresh water is pressurized to 3000psi+ and pushed through hi tech nozzles placed in the overhead. Result? A cooling, smothering fog that is safe to humans and works on all fire types. Cool Stuff, (chuckle).

Yes, the working principle between watermist (hi-fog a.o.) and a conventional sprinkler is completely different. I believe it's the evaporation of all the tiny droplets which causes an enormous cooling effect, smothering the fire.

There is a reason why the IMO has more or less made it mandatory for local protection of high-risk areas in the engine rooms of commercial ships. High-risk areas such as oil-fired boilers, main engines, etc.
I have seen the system in action (not during a fire though) and am also convinced, specifically because it can be released without risk, so crew will be much less reluctant to pull the lever.
You can walk through the watermist without even getting wet, it's a bit like on some November mornings here in Holland.

Bruno

A true water mist system produces a fog that is less conductive than the smoke produced by the fire. Modern power electrics often call for fog systems to be installed inside the switch gear boxes rather than in the room housing them.

High pressure water fog and spray is the most effective means to suppress the flames, heat, and smoke created by a petroleum fire. The fire fighting team making the first approach to an engine room bilge full of flaming oil will use a fog nozzle to provide protection for the team and to move the flames away from the area they need to work.

On the yachts that I work on the most common set up is a such: There is a manual valve or pull handle or whatever you wish to call it located in a locker or behind a hatch on the main deck close to the fiddley entrance to the engine room. When this door or hatch is opened a door switch will be operated and provide an audible alarm of a different sound in the engine room then a normal alarm. Also a light will illuminate on the alarm signaling column.

As for what ever system is used, I would not be comfortable with any system that would automaticaly discharge. Not only because of a malfunction but also how and when does this device decide when to discharge. I dont have a problem however with automatic shutdowns of ventilation and fuel movement. Better safe then sorry. Although I am sure vessel operators, well aware of Murphy's law, would disagree knowing thats it would be at the most inoppropriate moment that everything would shut down. Such as when trying to manuever into at tight spot for example....

This was and old school fire system that worked do to its design! The heat detectors didn't trigger until the were heated to +325%F They FAILED TO NOT TRIGGERING I had three ingress & egress points to evacuate It never had to save the vessel but I'm sure it would have if needed. Does anyone think a system like this would have saved the La Diva?

Regarding water mist (Hi Fog is actually the brand name of the leading manufacturer "Marioff"), no one that have witnessed a demo how it in just a few minutes suppress a fire in a deep fryer can't be other than impressed!
Understood; oily environments like ER's are no trouble!

Secondly; don't forget; we speaking suppression of fire, not extinguishing! (Even though 9/10 fires actually are totally extinguished by the mist.)

Hi,

I recently wondered how long it would take you to start mentioning either this or the other Swedish Manufacturer of these systems.

I assume you will now claim no commercial relationship between them and you too.

K1W1, aren't you a bit quick to accuse Mr. Lansberg?
I was about to make a similar comment, as it's a mistake often made (as evidenced in AMG's post #80), but I can assure you I have no commercial relationship with Marioff.

Not that it matters much, but Marioff is a Finnish company, not a Swedish one.

Regards,

Bruno

I didn´t say Hi-fog by mistake, more as a reference for all to Google on. It was the first commercial system and as a designer facing the no-no on other systems, I have prescribed Hi-Fog whenever somebody have asked over the last 20 years. Meaning a high pressure water based system, not to be confused with ordinary sprinklers.

The fact it is a brand name is the same as with many other first movers, like Jeep, Vespa and Walkman, it covers the idea whatever the brand...

We actually do have a commercial relationship with the Finnish Marioff:
They are owned by American "UTC", the same conglomarate who also own Autronica, the second biggest supplier of marine safety systems and our toughest competitor!

In spite of this competative relationship, we quite often and volontarily collaborate after the scope of supply is settled by yard and owners.

Perhaps it's hard for some to comprehend, but in our segment, safety always comes first and after the commercial bidding is over and done with, serious companies must and do put competitivness aside and work the scheme out as a team; aiming at the same goal!

I reckon after have read some of the less initiated comments in this matter, some would have been surprised over the well developed collaboration across competitive borders in this industry. How technical and operational managers from varuious commercial ship owners meet regularly and discuss important matters and common concernes.

All in the samme intention; improving safety at sea, the environment we all work in!

Thanx alot Bruno!