Reports state the fire originated in a cabin on deck 7 of the Ciudad de Alcudia ferry, which has previously sailed under the names of Euroferry Egnazia, Euroferry Sicilia, and Finnhansa.
The Ro-Ro vessel, built in 1994 for Finnlines, has been operating on the Valencia-Mallorca route for Grimaldi Lines-owned Trasmed. The ferry sails under Grimaldi Lines colours.
📢El CCE de la @generalitat rep avís d’incendi d’un vaixell al Port de València:
➡️Sense ferits
🚒@bomberosvlc mobilitza 7 vehicles
⚓️@AutPortValencia declara la fase blava del PEI (Pla d’Emergències Intern) i s’activa el PEE (Pla d’Emergències Extern) del Port de València
— Emergències 112CV (@GVA112) August 1, 2022
A total of seven units from Valencia’s fire brigade were directed to the city’s port to put out the fire, an operation that was conducted successfully.
Unfortunately, nine staff who were aboard the ferry when the fire began have had to be taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.
The damage caused by the fire prevented the ferry from leaving as scheduled. According to Spanish road transport website Diario De Transporte, Trasmed has stated it is redirecting cargo that was to be transported on the fire-hit ferry, with passengers being directed to other ferries where possible. The company is also said to have opened an investigation into the fire.
The fire on the Ciudad de Alcudia comes just under 5 months since a serious blaze tore through Grimaldi Lines’ Euroferry Olympia, resulting in 11 fatalities.
Photo: Templar European Logistics
Following the horror of the fire, which also burnt several trucks to a crisp, numerous allegations from hauliers and drivers regarding Grimaldi Lines soon surfaced.
Critics of the ferry firm flagged issues with the cleanliness of cabins for drivers and unsafe truck boarding procedures, allegations Grimaldi Lines denies.
Templar European Logistics boss Matthew Garnett, whose drivers managed to escape the Euroferry Olympia fire in February, told Trans.INFO today that Grimaldi Lines is still refusing to enter into dialogue with his firm. The haulage boss added that he hopes the ferry company will “lose their safety licence”.
Photo: David Farrer / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (illustrative photo)