Fire Aboard Norwegian Cruise Ship Kills Two

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Police suspect an on-board explosion may have been the cause of fire that resulted in two deaths of crew members aboard a cruise ship off Norway’s coast yesterday. The cruise ship, carrying 307 passengers and 55 crew members, began evacuating at 9 a.m. Nine people had been admitted to a nearby hospital, two with serious burns and smoke injuries.

Chief of Aalesund’s fire brigade, Geir Thorsen said firefighters were in control of the fire nearly six hours after the fire began, but the ship was taking in water and listing 10 degrees. “Our main challenge now is the stability of the ship,” he said. Two units of firefighters specializing in offshore fires were involved in the operation.