A devastating fire aboard the World Legacy cruise ship claimed the life of one crew member and sent nearly 600 people into emergency evacuation as the vessel approached Singapore.
Incident Overview
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirms the blaze erupted around 4:30 a.m. on February 20 in the ship’s lounge area. A 23-year-old Indonesian crew member, identified as P L, perished in the incident. Authorities have transported the body to land and notified the Indonesian Embassy.
Investigators continue to probe the fire’s unknown cause. Firefighters located a collapsed laundry attendant in the lobby on deck nine during the response.
Evacuation and Onboard Numbers
The ship carried 271 passengers and 388 crew members at the time. Eyewitness accounts highlight the chaos, with one passenger calling the ordeal “a truly terrible and traumatising experience.”
“Everyone panicked,” she recounted. “That’s when the loudspeaker announced the fire and asked everyone to move to deck seven.” Smoke had already spread to deck three by then. “When we reached deck seven, crew members stood at the door, asking everyone to put on life vests and move to the outside deck,” she added.
Response and Aftermath
Ship crew initially contained the fire, but the Singapore Civil Defence Force fully extinguished it six hours later. Officials established a safety perimeter around the vessel and issued navigational warnings to nearby ships.
Surveyors from World Legacy prepare to board and assess damage. Select crew members remain onboard to support operations and the ongoing investigation into the fire’s origin. Four individuals required hospitalization following the event.
