Federal investigators say we will never know the precise cause of the September, 2019 dive boat fire in the Channel Islands which killed 34 people.
But, the National Transportation Safety Board says that the lack of a required deck patrol by the crew allowed the fire to spread undetected, and was a factor in the huge loss of life.
The NTSB's final report says that the company which owned the “Conception,” Truth Aquatics, is ultimately responsible for the disaster.
The report says the fire started in the Conception’s parlor area, a deck above the cabin where 33 passengers, and a crew member were sleeping. It says an electrical short, overheated batteries for cameras and cell phones, and smoking materials are all possible causes, but they can’t pinpoint it.
The report says a lack of fire alarms, and the absence of a roving patrol meant the early morning fire wasn’t detected until it spread to the point where everyone below deck was trapped.
It calls for a series of safety changes on vessels conducting overnight trips.
They include adding smoke detectors to more key areas of new and in service boats. The NTSB is calling for the establishment of a Coast Guard program to insure required roving patrols are conducted. The report also calls for new, and existing boats have additional emergency escape routes from below deck sleeping areas.
