RACHEL MARIE

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Smoke halted ferry

The Coast Guard and Seattle Fire Dept. responded to a report of smoke in the engine room of the "Rachel Marie" on Aug 10, 2012. Crew members had noticed light smoke in the engine room, along with the smell of an electrical fire. The Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report of a smoke, associated with a generator, in ferry’s engine room at approximately 8:55 a.m. The Seattle Fire Dept. responded first and, with the assistance of the Rachel Marie crew, determined the smoke was coming from the alternator on the port side generator. The "Rachel Marie" was approximately 100 yards from shore where it had last pushed off at the West Seattle Sea Crest Marina when the smoke was discovered. The vessel returned to Crest Marina and safely disembarked all 21 passengers.Fire crews and aid units responded to the scene as two crew members stayed aboard the water taxi to keep the engine room cool. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound inspectors and investigating officers were on scene. Investigators later found some burned wires near a generator in the engine room. Service on the ferry run resumed at about 11:30 a.m. using another boat, and officials hoped to have the "Rachel Marie" back in service in the evening. Report with photo: http://www.kimatv.com/news/local/Seattle-water-taxi-disrupted-by-engine-room-fire-165728206.html