Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
The cruise ship, the 'Star Princess', a section of which was gutted by fire early yesterday morning, leaving one passenger dead and 11 others injured. The ship left Grand Cayman Wednesday for Montego Bay. It is reported that 150 cabins were damaged by the fire. - PHOTO BY JANET SILVERA
WESTERN BUREAU:
ONE MAN died of a heart attack, three persons were hospitalised and several hundred passengers had to be accommodated in local hotels after a fire engulfed three floors of the Star Princess cruise ship as it travelled into Jamaican waters yesterday.
The dead man has been identified as Richard Liffidge, 75, of Georgia in the United States. Mr. Liffidge collapsed on the ship's deck while his wife, who sustained injuries from smoke inhalation, was one of 11 persons treated at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James.
Mr. Liffidge's body was transported to the Cornwall Regional Hospital.
Two other injured passengers were airlifted to the United States.
"I suspect that the smoke inhalation made a substantial impact on these two passengers and ... owing to the fact they are elderly, they had to be airlifted," Harry Maragh, chief executive officer of Lannaman and Morris, agents of Carnival Corporation, owners of Star Princess, told The Gleaner.
FIRE SPREAD
Reports from Princess Cruises, operators of Star Princess, said that about 3:00 a.m. yesterday, the ship was en route from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay when a fire broke out in the passenger accommodations and later spread to adjacent cabins.
At 9:25 a.m., when the boat docked at the Montego Freeport Cruise Ship Terminal, the flames had already been extinguished by ship personnel.
Scores of emergency services personnel and tourism stakeholders were on hand to view the ship which was carrying 2,690 passengers and 1,123 crew members.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a cigarette being dropped on the balcony. However, Steve Neilsen, Princess Cruises vice-president of shore excursions, denied that claim. "The origin of the fire is unknown," he told journalists during a press conference called by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
Mr. Neilsen said that 150 cabins were damaged to varying degrees, and that a team of 31 experts had flown in from the United States to investigate the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.
Members of Flag State Bermuda, a team of qualified investigators, and the British and U.S. Coastguard, were scheduled to arrive last night to assist with the investigation.
In the meantime, the 550 persons whose rooms were badly affected by the blaze, were evacuated from the boat.
They are being housed at both the RIU Negril and Sunset Jamaica Grande hotels in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. Between Friday and Saturday morning the remaining passengers will be flown to their respective cities in the U.S.
Up to last night more passengers were being evacuated from the cruise ship as a section of the air conditioning unit broke down.
The passengers were also taken to Ocho Rios.
Star Princess left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday, March 19, on a western Caribbean itinerary with calls at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay and Princess Cays.
