Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Blog
MIAMI, FL—September 20, 2011 – Norwegian police officials appeared to believe an engine room explosion was to blame for the blaze that was ignited aboard a Hurtigruten cruise ship on Sept. 15, claiming the lives of two crew members. According to information provided by the Denver Post, the deadly cruise fire spurred the evacuation of hundreds of cruise ship passengers and also caused three rescuers to suffer minor wounds.
While police suspected that a blast in the engine room of the MS Nordlys, which is operated by Norwegian cruise ship company Hurtigruten, resulted in the deaths of two cruise employees, a full investigation will be required to confirm such assumptions. According to Ålesund Police operations head Trygve Oedegaard, “Nothing indicates sabotage or points to terror… But, of course, we have to investigate all options.”
Reports indicated that when the MS Nordlys docked in Ålesund, Norway, smoke coming from the ship spread to area buildings, forcing authorities to block off certain portions of the town. Although an excess of 100 cruise ship passengers were initially evacuated from the burning ship and put onto lifeboats, 55 cruise ship workers, along with the remainder of the total 207 passengers, disembarked the vessel in Ålesund.
Two cruise line workers were killed in the engine room fire and nine other crew members suffered various injuries, for which they were hospitalized. Two of the injured cruise employees’ reportedly sustained severe burns as a result of the engine room blaze. A full investigation into the fatal cruise ship fire was expected to be underway.
About the Miami cruise ship injury lawyers and boat accident attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.
With four decades of experience litigating the multifaceted personal injury and wrongful death claims of boat and cruise line passengers who are hurt or assaulted onboard, the knowledgeable Florida boating accident lawyers of Gerson & Schwartz are dedicated to protecting the rights of these individuals and fighting to provide them with the compensation they deserve. Working closely with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Miami personal injury attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. strive to provide justice to individuals who suffer serious injuries in a wide variety of boating accidents.