Two Die From Fire Aboard 'mv Carter'

Two Die From Fire Aboard 'mv Carter'

AMO Mourns Third Assistant Engineer Paul Powell, III

      Two civilian seafarers, including one American Maritime Officers member, died as the result of an engine room fire aboard the ammunition ship mv SSG Edward A. Carter, Jr., July 14 in Sunny Point, N.C., where the ship was docked.
     The fire broke out about 3:45 p.m. that day. AMO member Third Assistant Engineer Paul Powell, III, age 35, from St. Petersburg, Fla., was found dead in the engine room. Seafarers International Union member GUDE Horace Beasley, 45, from Gretna, Va., apparently fell or jumped from an engine room side port near the fire's ignition point. No one saw him enter the water and he reportedly did not know how to swim. His body was found in the Cape Fear River four days after the fire.
     The incident is under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office and investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have been invited to assist.
     "This is a tragedy for these men, their families and both of our unions," said the AMO national president. "The quick response of the officers and crew, as well as local fire rescue personnel, is commendable in containing this dangerous fire to the extent possible."
     According to a joint agency press release issued by the Coast Guard, Military Traffic Management Command and Military Sealift Command, "due to the immediate action of the ship's crew and fast response of firefighters from the base and local communities, the fire never came in contact with or close to the ammunition containers" that were aboard the ship.
     The Carter's mission is to preposition Army ammunition at sea, so that U.S. military forces abroad can respond quickly in areas of conflict. At the time of the fire, the ship was loaded with approximately 1,300 containers of ammunition, about half the ship's capacity. However, it was not loading cargo, according the press release.
     Firefighters from the base at Sunny Point, as well as Brunswick County, New Hanover County, Pender County and Horry County, S.C., helped fight the fire.
     At presstime, the investigation was still underway. According to the press release, the purpose of the formal investigation is to determine the cause of the incident in order to prevent this type of situation from recurring.
     The ship was last inspected by the Coast Guard June 12, 2001, in Hampton Roads, Va., and before that on Oct. 24, 2000, in Charleston, S.C. No deficiencies were noted in either inspection, according to the press release.
     The investigation will include a public hearing and testimony from witnesses. The Coast Guard will notify the public when the hearing is scheduled. An investigative report must be completed and submitted to the Fifth Coast Guard District within six months of the beginning of the investigation, which was July 16.
     The ship had arrived in Sunny Point June 14 to load cargo for its first deployment to Diego Garcia. The 950-foot Carter is part of Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two, one of about 35 noncombatant ships used to preposition combat equipment and supplies at sea. The ship is operated by Maersk Line Limited and manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.

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