Key takeaways:
- Northumberland Ferries reneges N.S.-P.E.I. ferry service through Sunday.
- Smoke is billowing from the MV Holiday Island Saturday noon.
Ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia has been stopped for the weekend due to a blaze that caused more than 200 passengers and crews to vacate the MV Holiday Island on Friday.
Northumberland Ferries declared Friday night the ferry service between Caribou, N.S., and Wood Islands, P.E.I., would be revoked for a second day due to the emergency at the MV Holiday Island. A Saturday morning update stated that all crossings would renege through Sunday.
On Saturday, passengers were advised by Northumberland Ferries via text message that the firm wasn’t sure whether cars on board could be recovered and that fire was still burning.
“[We] can’t with any assurance determine whether there will ultimately be any harm to cars. Right now, we don’t think there’s a lot of damage,” said Don Cormier, the firm’s vice-president.
“We plan to tow the ship back to port and discharge cars. But we think that will take time.”
Also read: Fuel costs on P.E.I. fall further
Smoke still increased Saturday afternoon
As of Saturday afternoon, smoke could still be seen billowing from the ferry headed to P.E.I., nearly a full day after a blaze broke out from the vessel’s engine space.
Cormier said staff and firefighters ended onboard measures to douse the fire and vacated the ferry as protection at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday.
He said that some water used for boundary cooling had seen its way to the bilges, forcing the ship to tilt and menacing its stability.
“There was a decision made that the constant firefighting measures were not effective in boundary cooling,” Cormier said.
“The captain, the rules, and agencies all decided we should vacate the ship. So now, there’s nobody on board.”
Source – CBC News
