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All crew members were asleep when Conception caught fire early on Labor Day, the National Transportation Safety Board announced Thursday, a major revelation in the investigation into the worst maritime disaster of the day. History of modern California.
The preliminary report of the agency indicated that "at the time of the fire, five crew members were sleeping behind the wheelhouse and a crew member was sleeping in the dormitory". Sources of the order had previously stated that the boat was supposed to have a "night watchman". who was awake and could alert others to the dangers.
Douglas Schwartz, a lawyer representing the owners of Conception, declined to comment on the NTSB report.
Although the investigators did not determine the cause of the 75 foot fire, it was suggested that the a flame may have burst at a charging station used by passengers for phones and other electronic devices in the office or because of a malfunction of the lithium battery.
The fire aboard the Conception erupted during Labor Day dive expedition on weekends, trapping passengers and a crew member who were sleep under the bridge the ship was anchored off the island of Santa Cruz. Five crew members who were on deck at the time could have escaped and said that the fire was too intense to let out someone else.
On Wednesday, the Coast Guard issued a safety bulletin recommending that commercial vessel operators review safety measures, ensure that safety equipment is operational and reduce the potential dangers of lithium batteries, power strips and extensions.
It could go on more than a year before the NTSB issues its final report outlining the findings of the boat 's fire investigation.
Law enforcement officials stated that the vessel did not have a night watchman to stay awake to alert passengers of a fire or other danger, and some of the surviving crew members told investigators that they did not have the training to deal with a major emergency. The authorities are also investigating whether passengers have received the appropriate safety instructions.
The Times spoke to more than a dozen people recently boarded the Truth Aquatics boats. Many remembered the crew as professional and respectful of security protocols, but some said that the captain's initial safety briefing was inadequate.
"I do not know how we could have come out of this room in case of an emergency," said Santa Rosa's Josiah Wilcox, who was attending the Conception in April for a trip with the Sierra Club.
The design of the boat was also carefully examined, including whether the escape hatch located in the dormitory allowed the vessel to leave in an emergency.
Those who died were supposed to sleep in the berth area. There were two lanes to the bridge: a stairway on one side and the escape hatch on the other. Both led to the kitchen, where some believe that the fire may have begun.
Jennifer Homendy, a member of the National Transportation and Security Bureau, told The Times that she had been "surprised" by the size of the emergency hatch when she had visited the Vision, a sister vessel of size and layout similar to that of the Design.
The authorities found Wednesday the body of the last victim on the scene of the fire. The official coroner is still trying to determine the identity of seven bodies. The authorities suspect that all the victims have died of smoke inhalation.
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