This story from Radio Jamaica on the Star Princess fire.
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One man reportedly died of a heart attack and eleven other persons are injured following a fire on board a cruise ship which was headed to Jamaica from Grand Cayman Thursday morning.
The Chief Financial Officer of Carnival Cruise lines which owns the "Star Princess" Gerald Cahill, says the fire was containined to a single area aboard the ship and eventually extinguished.
He said the fire had caused "one passenger fatality," two cases of smoke inhalation and nine cases of "minor smoke inhalation."
A statement earlier Thursday said the ship was "carrying a total of 2,690 passengers and 1,123 crew members."
According to Mr. Cahill the cause of the fire remained unknown.
Meanwhile officials of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association are at this hour still trying to secure rooms to accommodate the passengers from the "Star Princess."
JHTA officials say they have only managed to secure about 1,000 of the 1,500 rooms being requested by the cruise ship company.
The following is a statement issued by Carnival:
This morning at approximately 3:10 am local time, as Star Princess was en route from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, a fire broke out in the passenger accommodations, and spread to adjacent cabins.
Passengers were immediately notified of the fire using the public address system and requested to report to their muster stations. We subsequently completed a full check to account for all passengers and crew.
We deeply regret having to confirm that there has been one passenger fatality following a cardiac arrest, two passengers with significant smoke inhalation injuries and nine passengers with minor complications resulting from smoke inhalation. The injured passengers have been stabilized in the ship's medical center.
The fire is fully out, however there is still residual smoke throughout the affected area. The cause of the fire at this time is unknown.
The ship is carrying a total of 2,690 passengers and 1,123 crew members.
A full damage assessment is being carried out now that the ship has arrived in Montego Bay.
Authorities were immediately contacted regarding the incident and we continue to work closely with all relevant parties.
Star Princess sailed from Fort Lauderdale on March 19 on a western Caribbean itinerary with calls at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay and Princess Cays.
A special number has been set up for inquiries from immediate family of passengers who are currently onboard: 1-800-693-7222.
