ABSTRACT
On most ships, the engine room is the most dangerous compartment. High concentrations of fuels, oils, flammable chemicals, and machineries all make the engine room a potentially volatile and explosive area. In this chapter, we will explore some of the fundamental issues that can develop in the engine room when proper maintenance and poor housekeeping are allowed to happen. In this chapter, we will look at the causes and consequences of crankcase explosions, starter air-line explosions, purifier room fires, scavenge space fires, exhaust gas boiler fires, incinerator fires, electrical fires, and the most unusual of all ship fires, those caused by bacteria.
