UPDATE: Fire still burning on P.E.I. ferry; passengers may not get belongings

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The MV Vacation Island continues to burn exterior the Wooden Islands ferry terminal in P.E.I.

Coast guard, hearth division and different emergency personnel remained on web site Saturday, July 23 after a hearth began within the ferry engine room on the earlier morning.

Nobody was on board July 23, as crews had been ready to hold out a security evaluation earlier than hauling the ferry to shore to work on it from there, stated Don Cormier, vice-president of Northumberland Ferries Restricted, which operates the automobile ferry between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

Till then, it’s unclear when or if passengers will be capable to get better their automobiles and valuables, Cormier stated.

 “We are literally recovering their keys, so if we’re profitable in returning the ship to port, preventing the hearth, and it’s protected to take action, we’ll drive off the automobiles. And we’ll make preparations to both ship the automobiles to them or — some are going to be native, they usually can come get better their automobiles.”

There are 83 automobiles on board the ferry.

NFL put out a press launch the morning of July 23, stating the hearth crews had left the boat out of concern for crew security.

“We imagine there’s nonetheless a hearth within the engine room and within the funnels of the ship. So, late final evening, round 9:30, there was a call made that the continued firefighting efforts actually weren’t productive,” Cormier stated.

Whereas Cormier stated it was too early to invest about compensation if passengers cannot get better their possessions, he did word NFL’s insurance coverage firm will reply to buyer claims.

Altering plans

With a lot uncertainty, the NFL launch inspired passengers merely to return house.

The corporate has been arranging transportation for passengers from the area, whether or not via buses or pickups from relations.

For individuals who arrived from exterior Atlantic Canada, NFL remains to be figuring out transportation, Cormier stated.

Having a spot for individuals to remain after the incident has been one other concern, he stated.

“It’s peak summer season season, very troublesome and difficult to get lodging. So clearly, if they’re paying for them, they are going to be reimbursed for lodging.”

Cormier additionally clarified that some pets had been on board, together with 5 canine and a caged chook, however they went down the emergency chutes within the arms of their house owners and there have been no reported issues.

There have been no livestock, race horses or different animals on board.

One other concern Cormier spoke about was passenger medicines, a few of which had been left on the Vacation Island.

Passengers notified NFL about this concern, and NFL organized with native pharmacies to exchange lacking prescriptions, Cormier stated.

To his information, there hadn’t been any issues with this, he stated.

Environmental influence

Whereas issues had been quiet on the pier on July 23, the Canadian Coast Guard’s Environmental Response Crew was on web site, however declined an interview. They directed SaltWire to talk with Cormier because the consultant of NFL. 

The environmental response workforce was current in case of any spills or environmental hazards, although there hadn’t been any reported, Cormier stated. 

“There isn’t a discharge or spill environmentally. However the ship, due to the boundary cooling actions, has a certain quantity of water that discovered its method into the bilges. As a way to restore the soundness of the ship, we might should pump the bilges, by which case there could also be some residual oil.”

On the morning of July 23, the Transportation Security Board of Canada (TSB) introduced it was deploying a workforce of investigators to assemble data from the incident.

This workforce consists of 4 members who will enter the ferry as soon as it has been deemed protected, stated Chris Krepski, a spokesperson for the TSB.

Auxiliary coast guard

When passengers had been first being evacuated from the ferry, SaltWire acquired a number of stories of lobster fishers taking their very own boats out to assist.

SaltWire known as certainly one of these, Miles MacDonald. MacDonald, nonetheless, declined an interview and as a substitute directed the reporter to talk with the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax.

SaltWire known as the JRCC, who directed SaltWire to name the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary’s organizer.

SaltWire left a voicemail with the auxiliary organizer to ask how the group works and the way it responds to main incidents, however didn’t obtain a reply by deadline on July 23.

With smoke nonetheless billowing from the ferry at 2 p.m. on July 23, Cormier stated NFL is working 24 hours at a time and doesn’t need to predict any strong timelines on when the ferry service might return, or what might have began the hearth.

“I don’t suppose we must always speculate as to what the foundation reason behind that is.”