A fire aboard the towboat Johnny M last year was exacerbated by flammable air ducts, according to the NTSB. On January 30, 2024, while navigating the Kentucky Lock and Dam on the Tennessee River, the crew encountered smoke and alarms after a catastrophic failure in the port main engine. Despite efforts to control the fire using extinguishers and CO2 systems, the blaze spread due to the ducts burning through, allowing oxygen to enter the engine room.
The captain responded quickly to the smoke alarms, sounding the general alarm and mustering the crew. After initial attempts to extinguish the fire failed, the crew activated the CO2 system and shut down the engines, believing the situation had stabilized. However, smoke re-emerged, prompting the crew to abandon the vessel for a nearby towboat. The fire continued until marine firefighters arrived to combat the blaze, which was finally extinguished by 11:30 AM.
Investigators found that the Johnny M’s air intake system was inadequately protected. The flexible, fabric ducts allowed for oxygen entry when compromised by fire, undermining the effectiveness of the CO2 extinguishing system. The NTSB concluded that proper covers or fire-resistant materials could have prevented the fire’s escalation, resulting in significant damage totaling $3 million.
