The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released its investigation report (M23C0104) into the May 2023 fire on the bulk carrier Cuyahoga, which occurred near Pelee Island on Lake Erie. The report highlights several safety issues in vessel maintenance and emergency systems.

The Cuyahoga departed Marblehead, Ohio, carrying a load of granular crushed stone bound for Kingsville, Ontario on May 23, 2023. Nearly three hours into the voyage, a fire broke out in the engine room.

The crew responded by cutting the fuel supply to the main engine and attempting to activate the ship’s CO₂ fixed fire suppression system remotely, but the system did not function. A manual attempt to activate the system also failed and instead caused the cylinder room to fill with CO₂. Since the fuel flow had already stopped, the engine shut down and the fire went out shortly after.

The investigation determined that the fire started when fuel sprayed from a disconnected injection line onto the exposed hot surfaces of the exhaust gas piping. Earlier repairs had been carried out without reinstalling the retaining clamps on the injection lines.

Without the clamps, engine vibrations made the lines more likely to loosen. This led to repeated small leaks, which were treated as routine maintenance tasks instead of being investigated for deeper causes. These practices did not meet the manufacturer’s specifications. The TSB added that the crew did not have regular access to updated maintenance and torque instructions from the engine manufacturer, leaving them unaware of the proper requirements.

Investigators also found multiple reasons for the CO₂ system failure. The remote release cables had been routed through the engine room and were damaged during the fire, making them unusable. When the crew tried to activate the system locally, it discharged CO₂ into the cylinder room instead of the engine room. This happened because of incorrect activation instructions and because some system components were either loose or missing.

According to the TSB, the concerns raised in this investigation are not unique to this vessel. The problems with fire suppression systems, emergency procedures, and maintenance practices reflect broader and long-standing safety issues in marine transportation. The agency has pointed out such risks for years.

In July 2025, the TSB launched a national safety issue investigation to study how vessel fires are being managed across Canada. The goal is to gain a clearer understanding of the current state of preparedness and to identify gaps in the country’s ability to handle marine emergencies.

Reference: TSB

Do you have info to share with us ? Suggest a correction