Fire breaks out on ferry between N.S. and P.E.I., passengers evacuated

More than 180 people on board the MV Holiday Island ferry had to abandon ship after a fire broke out in the engine room late Friday morning.

The ferry left port in Caribou, N.S., at 10 a.m. travelling to Wood Islands, P.E.I.

The fire started just after 11 a.m.

“The alarms went off, and I’m on the ship a lot, and I’ve never heard those before,” said passenger John Kenny.

“I kind of thought it was a false alarm. They were pretty loud. They went on for a couple of minutes before we heard an announcement that there was actually a fire on the ship.”

#CCGLive: We are on scene responding to the #SearchAndRescue operation of M/V Holiday Island engine room fire, near Wood Islands #PEI. CCG vessels, RCAF aircraft, CCG Auxiliary and other vessels responded. pic.twitter.com/DrVjsljp9j

— Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN) July 22, 2022

The ferry had all but finished its trip across the Northumberland Strait when the trouble began.

“You go outside and you see fire above your head. You’re like, ‘Okay, this is actually real? This is happening?’ especially when they told us we had to wear a life vest,” said Chelsey Wilson.

Kenny says crew members tried calming down children onboard.

“My son was with me, he’s eight, and he was quite scared, because, I don’t know what they watch on TV, but it kind of felt like a Titanic on a smaller level when it started happening,” he said.

According to Northumberland Ferries Limited, which operates the ferry, the ship’s crew and safety systems contained the fire.

No injuries have been reported.

The ferry operator says the vessel was intentionally run aground outside the harbour entrance to Wood Islands, where life rafts were deployed.

Wilson says she had to hold her daughter “for dear life” as the two slid down the emergency exit.

“I asked if she could go on my lap and they said, ‘Yes, for sure.’ You had to have your legs open to slow down your speed, and I was just petrified going down the slide the whole time,” she said.

#RCMPPEI is assisting with an incident offshore near the Wood Island Ferry Terminal. The terminal is currently closed. Members of the public are asked to avoid the area to allow first responders to do their work.

— RCMP P.E.I. (@RCMPPEI) July 22, 2022

Six different fire departments, the coast guard and the P.E.I. RCMP, along with various emergency responders attended the scene.

According to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, 182 passengers safely disembarked, while 18 crew members and seven local firefighters remained on board.

Prime Minster Justin Trudeau also commented on the fire during his visit to P.E.I. on Friday.

“I want to thank first responders who responded extremely quickly, and there were local fishers involved in helping people out. This was a really, really scary situation for everyone involved, so our thoughts are with them,” said Trudeau.

“We’re working to give them support needed,” he said to reporters. “I just spoke with Premier King, who I assured would have full federal cooperation on anything that’s necessary.”

Today was a scary day for those passengers and staff on board the mv Holiday Island, their families and their loved ones.

Full statement???? pic.twitter.com/0mJeEtEIB8

— Dennis King (@dennyking) July 22, 2022

Premier King said crews from the Canadian Red Cross and other emergency organizations were on the ground helping passengers with anything they might need, including accommodations, supplies and transportation.

“These crews will continue to support the passengers and their families in the days ahead,” King said in a news release Friday.

He added that Health PEI prepared for the possibility of a large number of patients needing care, though that was not necessary.

Out of an abundance of caution, and to “focus on safety,” the vice president for Northumberland Ferries said the Wood Islands-Caribou service would be cancelled for the rest of the day.