Fire contained aboard ‘Sydney Marie’ vessel

A fire caused by an overheating generator was contained aboard the Sydney Marie ship at the Gafoors Complex at Land of Canaan on the East Bank of Demerara (ECD) early Tuesday morning.

According to a press release from the Guyana Fire Service, the fire was reported at 03:31 hrs on Tuesday. The vessel on fire was the red and green Sydney Marie, bearing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) number 7432317 and Official number 400913.

The vessel is used for aggregate transport and is owned by Odin’s Trading located at Main Street, Charlestown, St. Vincent; it is captained by 56-year-old Richard Bynoe also of St. Vincent.

Water tenders from the Diamond and Timehri Fire Stations responded to the scene. It was reported that no person was injured and firefighters were able to contain the fire to the generator room thereby preventing the loss of the vessel.

Upon investigating, firefighters were able to determine that the cause of the fire was the overheating of a generator in the fore peak of the ship which resulted in arcing and sparking.

The generator was severely damaged and a quantity of rope was completely destroyed as a result of the fire, however.