Fire in Engine room.

1. Incident Summary

An Indian OSV experienced a fire in its No. 4 main engine while on 'helicopter duty' off the east coast of India. The fire was extinguished, and there were no casualties or environmental damage. Substantial damage was observed in the turbocharger blower side casing and overhead cablings.

2. Cause of Fire

The fire was caused by a ruptured turbocharger blower side casing due to high exhaust temperatures (310°C to 390°C) and possible problems with fuel injection and burning. The labyrinth seal bush was damaged, allowing oil-rich exhaust gases to enter the seal passages and explode.

3. Lessons Learned

• a. Turbochargers should be operated and maintained as per the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations. Overhauling should be done by competent personnel using original equipment manufacturer's spare parts.
• b. Exhaust gas temperatures should be regularly monitored using local measuring gauges in addition to remote gauges, if fitted.
• c. Chief engineers should ensure judicious load management to prevent machinery from being unduly overloaded.