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A fire that broke out on a Staten Island ferry in December was the result of staffing shortages and “haphazard training” aboard a new class of vessels, according to a letter sent by a union representing ferry workers.
The blaze, which injured five people and forced the evacuation of more than 800 passengers, began in the engine room of the Sandy Ground, one of three new boats the city recently purchased for $300 million. In a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Union accused the city of skipping out on safety training for crew members and neglecting to mention a key change in the fuel return procedures that may have sparked the fire.
The letter was first reported by the New York Post.
The union, which represents much of the Staten Island ferry crew, called on the Coast Guard to investigate the “unfortunate deterioration of safety culture” within the ferry system, specifically the lack of training for those working aboard the trio of new boats, known as Ollis-class vessels.
“Training was not provided, due to staffing shortages especially in the engine room, which management dealt with by requiring crew members to perform their regular operational duties instead of participating in the new vessel training,” the letter claims.
The fire broke out on the Sandy Ground on Dec. 22, filling the vessel with smoke and prompting a massive emergency response to safely evacuate hundreds of passengers.
A preliminary investigation by the Coast Guard pinned the fire on a fuel leak. City officials said they have received assurance from the Coast Guard that the Ollis-class vessels are safe to run.
But according to the union, a “quirk” in the new boats means the standard fuel procedures aboard other boats does not apply to the new vessels. They said workers were never given a heads up about the change.
“Our members tell us an engine room crew member closed the fuel return on the Sandy Ground on December 22, leading to the fuel filter leaks and the fire, perhaps in the mistaken belief that fuel return procedures on the Ollis-class vessels were the same as other vessels,” the letter reads.
They said the lack of training is part of a broader pattern for a ferry system beset by staffing shortages – prompting frequent cuts to service in recent years.
“Apparently, this accumulation of errors came to a head on the Sandy Ground,” the union wrote.
Vin Barone, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, said the agency has not received any safety recommendations from the Coast Guard or the National Transportation Safety Board since the letter was sent.
“The Staten Island Ferry crews are well-trained and Coast Guard-certified as required — operating safe service for tens of thousands of daily commuters,” he said. “And the agency continues to cooperate fully in the ongoing investigations.”
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