Fire and subsequent foundering of wind farm support workboat
- Safety Flash
- Published on 13 March 2014
- Generated on 22 February 2026
- IMCA SF 03/14
- 1 minute read
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published the following report regarding an incident in which a 14m wind farm support catamaran, ECC Topaz, caught fire.
What happened?
The three crew members on the vessel were unable to extinguish the fire, which spread rapidly throughout the vessel, forcing them to abandon to a liferaft. One person was slightly injured. It was discovered that there had been no control of work whatsoever in place – no PTW, no isolations or barriers, no risk assessment or tool box talk.
Further information can be found at
maib.gov.uk/publications/safety_bulletins/safety_bulletins_2014/safety_bulletin_2_2014.cfm
A PDF report of the incident can be downloaded here.
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