On 23 July 1976 QE2 was steaming about 80 miles off the Scilly Isles heading for New York when the flexible coupling drive connecting the starboard main engine high pressure rotor and the reduction gear box ruptured. As a result lubricating oil under pressure was released into the main engine room with ignited creating a sever fire and explosion. The oil burned for 20 minutes before it could be brought under control. During that time the oil burned fiercely and flames shot up the funnel’s ventilating shaft about 100-foot away, blackening and buckling the funnel casing high above the passenger decks.
The blaze left the ship without the use of one boiler.
A 22-year-old engineer, Kenneth Lyon, from Liverpool was seriously burned on the face and arm while tackling the fire and was taken to a burns unit ashore in a Salisbury hospital. The hospital stated that he was the “best looked after” burns case ever admitted, a great tribute to the medical staff on board QE2.
Although the damage was limited to the Boiler Room, QE2 was in no state to continue to New York so she limped back to Southampton with the lower white casing of her funnel blackened.
Hampshire Police boarded QE2 by tender at Cowes Road to investigate whether the cause of the problem had been sabotage but this was soon ruled out.
Cunard explained that the coupling which broke consisted of two plates bolted together and was rather like a car’s clutch. The investigation carried out revealed the prime cause of the seizure was due to a mal-alignment of the rotor and gear box beyond tolerable limits.
Captain Hehir said that the fire party and other crew had done a “marvellous job” putting the blaze out.
The effected boiler had to be replaced by dry-docking the liner and cutting an access hole in her side to remove the damaged machinery and install its replacement.
Similar damage to an older ship would, perhaps, have resulted in its premature scrapping.
A round-trip Atlantic voyage was cancelled so repairs could be carried out. The 1,227 passengers on board this voyage and the 1,400 booked on the return were offered a 20% reduction of fares on the cancelled trips, or 50% off the fares of a future Cunard voyage – practically all opted for the 50%.
QE2 returned to service on 3 August after day and night repair work by engineers to repair the broken coupling.
Four crewmembers received awards from the Secretary of State for Industry for their prompt services in putting out the fire in 30 minutes.
A new set of turbine blades replacing the ones damaged in an engine room fire were fitted in January 1977 at Bayonne (New Jersey) during a special repairs period.