Fire on Norwegian cruise ship kills at least 2

[News_Editor]

Fire on Norwegian cruise ship kills at least 2

2011-09-15 21:06:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

ALESUND, NORWAY (BNO NEWS) -- At least two people were killed on Thursday morning when a fire broke out on a cruise ship off of Norway with over 250 people on board, officials said. Several others were injured.

The fire broke out in the engine room of the MS Nordlys, which was being operated by Hurtigruten, a Norwegian cruise line which travels along the country's western and northern coast. The fire forced scores of passengers to evacuate, Hurtigruten spokesman Ragnar Nordrum told the Views and News from Norway website.

The MS Nordlys, which was heading north as it carried out its regular six-day Bergen-Kirkenes route, had a total of 262 people on board, including 207 passengers and 55 crew members.

Around 100 passengers were forced to evacuate on emergency lifeboats before the ship made it to Ålesund, a coastal city in western Norway. However, the MS Nordlys was reportedly lacking control due to the engine room fire and emergency vessels aided the ship dock at Ålesund.

Fire trucks, ambulances, and emergency teams awaited at the coast while improvised gangways helped passengers evacuate. Two rescue helicopters were also deployed while rescue teams attended the injured and helped the ship's evacuation. Two crew members were found dead while at least 16 people were injured and transported to a local hospital.

Stein Solberg, southern Norway search and rescue services chief, who described the situation as serious, said the cause of the fire was undetermined. Following the MS Nordlys' complete evacuation, the fire continued burning the ship and heavy smoke reached several parts of Ålesund, forcing authorities to evacuate several residents from certain areas of the city.

Hurtigruten's MS Nordlys was built in 1994 and forms part of the company's relatively new small cruise ship fleet. The Stralsund shipyard in Germany constructed the vessel and can carry 691 passengers with overnight accommodation for 475.

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