In the early hours of Friday, May Lau was abruptly awakened by loud and urgent knocking on her cabin door, immediately sensing that something was gravely wrong. Speaking in Mandarin, she recalled the intensity of the situation, stating, “They were knocking so loudly, I thought there was no way this was a drill.” As the urgency unfolded, she became aware of the smell of smoke in the air, confirming her fears. With no time to gather her belongings, she swiftly evacuated her cabin.
The incident occurred aboard the World Legacy, a Liberia-registered cruise ship that was en route to Singapore. A fire had erupted on deck nine of the vessel, prompting the immediate response of the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s marine firefighters, who bravely worked to extinguish the blaze.
Tragically, the incident resulted in the death of one Indonesian crew member, as confirmed by the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA). Fortunately, all 271 passengers were successfully evacuated from the ship. Among them, several individuals required medical attention, with paramedics providing on-site care. Four passengers were subsequently transported to the hospital for further evaluation, though no other injuries among the crew were reported.
This incident underscores the potential dangers associated with maritime travel and the need for effective emergency protocols aboard cruise ships. The rapid response by the authorities helped mitigate the situation, allowing for the safe evacuation of passengers despite the serious outcome. The cruise line and relevant agencies will likely conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire and implement measures to enhance safety for future voyages.
Original publication date: [original_date]
