A catastrophic engine failure aboard the towing vessel Johnny M led to a serious fire that caused $3 million in damage, highlighting critical safety vulnerabilities in marine fire protection systems.

The incident occurred on January 30, 2024, near Grand Rivers, Kentucky, when the vessel was pushing four barges on the Tennessee River. The six crew members were forced to abandon ship after their attempts to extinguish the fire using the CO2 fixed-fire-extinguishing system proved unsuccessful.

According to NTSB investigators, the vessel’s lack of covers for the main engine combustion air intake openings proved to be a critical design flaw. When the port main engine experienced a catastrophic failure, the exposed ducting in the engine room was consumed by the fire, creating a pathway that allowed oxygen to enter while letting the carbon dioxide from the fire-extinguishing system escape.

The sequence of events began when the vessel was maneuvering near the Kentucky Lock and Dam. The pilot reported hearing multiple alarms in the wheelhouse, including what he believed to be a “low water or low coolant temp” alarm for the port main engine. Shortly after, crew members observed the vessel becoming engulfed in smoke.