Fire Breaks Out in Cruise Ship Laundry Room

A fire broke out on the MSC cruise ship Armonia as it neared Venice. The Port Authority of Venice was notified just before the ship docked at the Venice Intermodal Terminal.

Fire Quickly Put out by Crew Members

The fire originated in the ship’s laundry room.

A Coast Guard patrol boat with a firefighting team was deployed, but ship crew members extinguished the fire relatively quickly. Once the ship docked, Coast Guard inspectors and the Fire Brigade boarded the vessel to assess the damage. Medical personnel also boarded to assess crew members involved in the firefighting.

Cruise Line Says it was Caused by an Electrical Fault

The port authority harbor office has ordered a full inspection to ensure all functions are in working order before the ship departs. The cruise line says an electrical fault is the likely reason.

MSC Cruises confirmed the incident in a statement: “This morning during docking in Marghera, a smoke alarm went off in the laundry area of MSC Armonia following a small electrical fire. It was quickly put out without any danger to passengers and crew.” “Ground fire brigade teams, in collaboration with authorities, boarded the ship to carry out thorough checks and ensure maximum safety of the ship.”

The 2.620-guest ship MSC Armonia departs Venice later this evening with port calls in Dubrovnik, Kotor, Montenegro, Corfu, and Zakynthos before returning to Bari, Italy, on June 16.

Three years ago, a fire broke out on MSC Lirica while it was moored off the coast of Corfu. It originated in a lifeboat and damaged the ship’s exterior. The ship wasn’t carrying passengers due to the pandemic halt on cruising, and none of the 51 crew members aboard were injured.