1976 fire, explosion & damage to QE2 including the funnel

[Adam Hodson]

...so as not to alarm the passengers so the fire damage could be toned down.

Apart from the blackened funnel?

[Ken Lyon]

HELLO John Drew,

I read your post about the fire and all you have said is correct.

I remember it was 0450hrs when I was leaving the engine room with empty containers for the cage just outside on 6 deck.  I was climbing the steps as it all kicked off.  there was only seconds to spare for me to make a decision to either make for the exit or get back down and take cover in the control room.

Looking back now I am still undecided as to whether I made the right choice.  there was so little time to spare.   If I had gone back down to the control room I don't think I would have made it in time and would not be here today,    I made the decision to exit on to 6 deck and believe me I moved FAST,    As I was running I shouted fire in the engine room but before I could get the words out there was a massive blast which filled the allyway with flames instantly,  I really thought It was the end.

As to what you said about the fans for the hospital I can remember that and doctors were all over me,  I remember the sound of alarms and I could hear shouting and footsteps running on 6 deck.  No one thought I was ever going to make it.    Only the day before I was asking did anyone have a spare boiler suit as I had left mine behind on the last ship.  Its a good job I was not wearing a nylon one as  I would for sure not have survived.   I was only wearing a    t  shirt and a pair of old officers trousers. the shirt was gone in an instant but those old trousers saved my legs.

So many people here remember that terrible morning and It must also have been terrifying for the passengers.   Fire aboard ship can spread much faster than people realize and only good training and experience can save the day.   If anyone else is reading this that took so many risks to fight the blaze that day  I would like to say thanks for getting me back home safely to shore and im sure the passengers were thankful also.

Im always ready for a chat  kenneth.lyon@hotmail.co.uk

CHEERS! EVERYONE

[Adam Hodson]

Thanks Ken for your memories of that awful incident. What an amazing story, and I'm sure you were very lucky.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Welcome Ken, and good to see you here! Good in every possible way -- such a close thing and you might not have made it...

Wonderful to read that the passengers and crew rallied round and made sure you could be as comfortable as at all possible. Thank you for all you did for the ship. It will not be forgotten.

[Alan Snelson]

Hello Ken,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your memories of an incredible and life changing event. That is one of the many great things about this forum, that we get to hear first hand accounts of real life events on a remarkable ship from a fantastic crew.

It would be great to hear more of your memories from your time aboard if you get the time to post.

[June Ingram]

Welcome, Ken ! and thank you for sharing your memories of that day !

[Hank Hargrove]

Hmm. I had no idea this happened. You learn something new everyday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Adam Hodson]

Reply #12 shows the damage to the funnel: https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,275.0.html

[CAP]

A bravery award was made by Cunard to Thomas E Goode in 1982 for his actions appertaining to the fire.

[Trevor Harris]

Found this on Wikipedia

"SOS SOS SOS (urgent distress call follows) DE (from) GBTT GBTT GBTT (call sign of the Queen Elizabeth 2 radio room, repeated 3 times) QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 (name of ship) PSN (position is) 49.06.30 N (north), 04.30.20 W (west). (Ship is) ON FIRE, (crew) ABANDONING SHIP AR (end of transmission) K (reply, anyone)"

Is this the wireless transmission from the funnel fire?

[Thomas Hypher]

Hi Trevor, as far as I am aware QE2 never got to the point of being abandoned during this fire as many things that didn't happen would have had to have happened such as the passengers boarding the swung out and slightly lowered lifeboats via the Boat Deck.

In fact QE2 never got to the point of being abandoned despite several near catastrophic events during her service life, two others that come to mind at the moment being: the grounding at Martha's Vineyard in 1992 and a sea valve burst in the aft engine room in the middle of the Atlantic in approx May 2002. In the case of the sea valve burst, the engineers had to do an "Apollo 13" of using what they had around them to control and potentially stop the major leak. Their temporary repair lasted the remaining 3 days of that crossing and permanent repairs were effected in Southampton. This flood got so bad that they were having to seriously consider shutting down at least one of the main engine diesels in the aft engine room for their safety.

Thomas

[Boris]

... QE2 never got to the point of being abandoned despite several near catastrophic events during her service life...

Whilst I can't argue with the accuracy of your statement Thomas, I think the evacuation at sea of over1600 pax and non essential crew in April 1974 was certainly a significant 'lightening of the load', as it were. Though I agree it wasn't 'abandoning ship'.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2665.msg72937.html#msg72937

[Thomas Hypher]

Whilst I can't argue with the accuracy of your statement Thomas, I think the evacuation at sea of over1600 pax and non essential crew in April 1974 was certainly a significant 'lightening of the load', as it were. Though I agree it wasn't 'abandoning ship'.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2665.msg72937.html#msg72937

I forgot about the April 1974 boiler trouble and subsequent power failure incident, although if I'm to be pedantic it wasn't really "abandoning ship" in an emergency situation.

Also I incorrectly stated that the repair to the valve in May 2002 was effected in Southampton. According to the topic on the very event, elsewhere on this forum, the repair was effected in New York as the transatlantic crossing was in the opposite direction to what I stated and thought it was. I've been publicly stupid yet again  haha.

[Boris]

I've been publicly stupid yet again  haha.

I don't think it has anything to do with 'stupid' Tom: maybe, at least in my case, how many rums one has enjoyed before posting.

But the beauty of this site is that whatever you may have posted is not carved in stone: come the morning, and sobriety, one can always return and make subtle 'enhancements' to your original words of wisdom.

And, the foregoing is my final word on this matter (unless I change this whole post tomorrow - or even delete it entirely). Though I am only on G&Ts tonight, so hardly serious alcohol 

[Thomas Hypher]

I don't think it has anything to do with 'stupid' Tom: maybe, at least in my case, how many rums one has enjoyed before posting.

But the beauty of this site is that whatever you may have posted is not carved in stone: come the morning, and sobriety, one can always return and make subtle 'enhancements' to your original words of wisdom.

And, the foregoing is my final word on this matter (unless I change this whole post tomorrow - or even delete it entirely). Though I am only on G&Ts tonight, so hardly serious alcohol 

I suppose that's the beauty of the World Wide Web in many but not all cases - basically infinite editing! Well at least with most online forums.